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THIRTY-SIX VOYAGES 



TO 



VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD, 



MADE 



BETWEEN THE YEARS 1799 AND 1841. 



BY 



GEORGE COGGESHALL, 

AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN PRIVATEERS.' 



SELECTED FROM HIS MS. JOURNAL OF EIGHTY VOYAGES. 



®#xb mtwix—m\ib o Illustrations. 



IN ONE VOLUME. 

REVISED, CORRECTED AND ENLARGED, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES AND 

EXPLANATIONS. 



NEW YOEK: 
PUBLISHED BY AND FOR THE AUTHOR. 

GEO. P. PUTNAM, AGENT, 506 BROADWAY. 
1858. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by 

GEORGE COGGESHALL, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District 

of New York. 



CO 



JOHN F. TROW, 

PRINTER AND STEREOTYPES, 

379 Broadway. 



gMMtatio. 



TO 

GEORGE HENRY LAWRENCE COGGESHALL. 

My Dear Son : 

As you are just entering upon the stage of life, from which I shall 
soon make my exit, it is to me a heartfelt pleasure to dedicate to you 
this volume of my voyages, as a slight memorial of the humble services 
of your father and grandfather to our beloved country. 

Though your ancestors have added but a single grain in the great 
scale of national aggrandizement, still I hope and trust their humble 
efforts to promote the interest and independence of our father-land will, 
like the widow's mite, be accepted. For as one star differs from another 
star in glory, so do men differ in mind and capacity to lead and govern 
their fellow-men. Some, like a brilliant orb in the firmament, fix upon 
themselves the eyes and admiration of a whole nation. It was em- 
phatically so with the immortal Washington, who, doubtless, was raised 
up by Providence to lead the armies and direct the energies of a few 
struggling, infant States to successful independence and subsequent 
national honor and glory. His fame, like that of his great prototype 
who led the children of Israel through the wilderness, will endure to the 
end of time. 

Though but few men are gifted to play prominent parts in the great 
drama of life, or figure conspicuously on the bright pages of history, they 
may all have patriotic hearts and virtuous principles, and thus while 
acting in subordinate capacities, contribute largely to achieve the per- 



4 DEDICATION. 

manent greatness and glory of their country, Thousands of good 
citizens in our revolutionary struggle, whose names are unknown to fame, 
voluntarily submitted to sore privations and cruel sufferings, and when 
necessary, freely shed their blood in defence of their homes and firesides. 
By so doing, they have won for themselves the applause and admiration 
of the wise and good of all nations. 

I wish you to remember, my son, that it is not always the most bril- 
liant men who build up a nation, and leave it an imperishable name ; no, 
it is the wise and good, who love God and their fellow-men, who con- 
stitute a nation's greatness. Let me then impress upon your mind the 
following fact, which I leave you as a precious legacy : " that all those 
who confide in superior capacities or attainments, and disregard the 
common maxims of life, should remember that nothing will supply the 
want of prudence, and that vice and irregularity long continued, will 
make knowledge useless, wit ridiculous, and genius contemptible." 

After what I have written, I have little more to add but to commit 
you into the hands of Him, who will guide and sustain you through life 
if you put your hope and trust in Him, who watches over the pure in 
heart. 

To you then, my only son, this book is faithfully inscribed by your 
affectionate father, 

GrEORGE COGGESHALL. 
Brooklyn, October, 1858. 



PREFACE 

TO THE FIRST EDITION. 



It may disarm criticism of some of its asperity, when the 
author states that, in publishing for the entertainment of his 
friends the following extracts from his journal, he makes no 
pretensions to literary skill or merit. His life has been passed 
in ploughing the ocean, and not in cultivating the delightful 
and peaceful fields of learning. 

In selecting for publication the Voyages (written at the 
periods to which they relate) contained in this volume, he has 
aimed at presenting a fair specimen of the toils and perils in 
which his many years have been passed. They may interest 
others, and perhaps serve to show to the young and inexpe- 
rienced that, by keeping a stout heart and a persevering spirit, 
a degree of success may be counted on which will secure 
personal independence, and the ability to do something for 
the happiness of others. 

In these quiet days of peace, when war, with its excite- 
ments, and violence, and sorrows, is unknown among us, some 
of its legitimate and necessary features are viewed with a de- 
gree of disfavor, quite unfelt at the time of its existence. This 
is especially true as regards privateers and Jetters-of-marque. 
All wars have for their immediate object the annoyance of 
the enemy. Between maritime states, the destruction of each 
other's commerce is the aim of the belligerents. In our last 
war with Great Britain (to which several chapters in this 



6 PEEFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION". 

volume relate), the most active agents in crippling the com- 
merce of the enemy, were those of the private armed service. 
The efficiency and daring gallantry of our privateers were 
eminently conspicuous. 

No greater injustice can be done than to denounce as mere 
mercenaries all the young men who, during our war with 
England, embarked in the private armed service. Hundreds 
of my brother mariners well know, that the most generous 
and patriotic impulses inspired hosts of brave spirits to embark 
in the work of combating and destroying the ships and com- 
merce of our great rival, until we should obtain the freedom 
of the seas ; and none who are informed on the subject are 
ignorant that the object was accomplished. 

Whatever difference of opinion existed as to the merits of 
the war with England, there can, at this day, be none as to 
its results. Nearly thirty-seven years have passed since the 
treaty of Ghent brought us peace, and the unexampled pros- 
perity which has followed, and the pre-eminent position, both 
in power and in honor, to which our country has attained, are 
due in no small degree to the gallantry and national resource 
manifested by us during the three years' contest. 

Compare and contrast our present condition with what it 
was before that war. After the peace of 1783, our ships and 
commerce were preyed upon by England and France with 
impunity, and we manifested in our then feeble condition the 
most patient forbearance, and even submission. At length 
we were driven to arms against our ancient ally, France, until 
we compelled a recognition of our rights by the treaty of Paris 
in 1800. 

Previous to this period our vessels trading to British ports 
were seized by French cruisers, carried into their own ports 
and condemned; and as the war between France and Britain 
became more embittered, both determined that there should 



PEEFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 7 

be no longer any neutral powers if they could prevent it. 
They imposed restriction upon restriction on the commerce of 
other countries, and did every thing they could do to compel 
all the nations of the earth to take part in their contest. Our 
vessels were assailed by French Decrees and British Orders in 
Council. The accustomed channels were closed. With car- 
goes destined for Hamburg, I was compelled to make several 
voyages to Tonningen in Danish Holstein ; and when this trade 
was no longer permitted by France, I was forced up among the 
snow and ice of Russia. Such were the injuries to which we 
were subjected by France. 

England was still more aggressive. Her cruisers captured 
more than one thousand ships and vessels bound to France and 
other countries, which were overrun by French armies, before 
the United States could be driven to the declaration of the war 
of 1812. England and France had seemed to regard our com- 
merce as their legitimate prey, and they felt satisfied that our 
love of thrift and our passion for gain were paramount to our 
sense of honor, patriotism, and national pride. 

England assumed and boasted that a few broadsides from 
her " wooden walls " would drive our paltry striped bunting 
from the ocean. Our seamen were impressed by them — our 
vessels searched in the most arrogant and offensive manner, 
and their people ill-treated. One outrage of this kind suc- 
ceeded another, until one of their men-of-war fired her cow- 
ardly cannon into a harmless little unarmed vessel (April 
26th, 1806), off Sandy Hook, and one of our citizens was 
killed. This was followed by the crowning wrong and insult 
of the attack by the British two-decked ship-of-war Leopard 
upon the American frigate Chesapeake, at a period of profound 
peace, and at a moment when from peculiar causes the latter 
ship was in a defenceless position. 

This act roused a spirit which nothing could quell. Con- 



8 PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION". 

gress declared war in 1812 against the mightiest of the nations. 
But " thrice were we armed, " for we " had our quarrel just." 
In less than three years, two entire fleets of British men-of- 
war were swept from the Lakes. More than two thousand 
sail of British ships and other vessels were captured. One of 
our frigates vanquished two frigates of the enemy, one after 
the other in fair combat, and afterwards encountered at once 
two of their sloops-of-war with a like result. Other and gal- 
lant actions and victories followed. The spell was broken. 
British invincibility and British supremacy were at an end. 
The stars and stripes were no longer a theme of ridicule — our 
commerce was no longer at the mercy, and conducted by the 
permission and sufferance of England. 

Far be it from the writer of these pages to indulge in either 
a revengeful or a boasting spirit ; but it may be permitted to 
one who in early life encountered so much of annoyance and 
injury — so much that was galling to the spirit of every man 
who felt that the ocean was by right the free thoroughfare of 
all nations ■ — to rejoice that wherever our flag now floats it 
carries security, respect and honor to all beneath its folds; 
that the " right of search," claimed so long and exercised so 
arrogantly, is now abandoned ; that our nation and our people 
know no superiors ; and that we present at this moment the 
most remarkable spectacle the world has ever known of a free, 
prosperous, powerful, and educated people. Let it be our aim 
to bear our prosperity with moderation, with dignity, and with 
gratitude to the great Ruler of nations ; and to remember that 
we shall become base whenever we wield our power against 
the weak and humble, or in any cause that has not honor, 
truth, and justice for its foundation and its end. 

G. C. 

Brooklyn, New York, March, 1851. 



PREFACE 

TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



The ready sale and general approbation my first book of Voy- 
ages has met with, from my friends and the public, induces me 
to publish a second edition. 

In the first, I feared I should weary my readers if I narrated 
too minutely the records of my journal. I therefore abridged 
many important facts connected with the scenes through which 
I passed in the early period of our naval and commercial his- 
tory. These omissions did not altogether satisfy several of my 
judicious friends, who were desirous that I should publish a 
second edition, and in it particularize many facts and incidents, 
which had only been slightly alluded to or entirely omitted ; 
and thus, in accordance with my own judgment and their wishes, 
I have decided to enter into more detail, and to add a few more 
voyages to the West Indies and other well-known ports, which 
I hope may not be altogether uninteresting to those who may 
honor me with a perusal. 

All history is in a great measure made up of scraps and 
isolated facts, and whoever keeps a faithful record of his life and 
times, will always contribute more or less materials for the future 
history of his country, and may in this way be of service to 



10 PEEFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 

those who shall come upon the stage of life long after he shall 
have passed away. The present age is decidedly the age of 
progress and improvement. All the world is in rapid motion. 
We live in eventful times, and every thing moves on with rail- 
road celerity. Business men can only find time to read news- 
papers and reviews while travelling in railroad cars and steam- 
boats ; while literary and scientific men find it difficult to keep 
up with the times, and can scarcely read all the new books that 
daily issue from the steam-power press. Almost everybody is 
too much occupied with the present and future to look back 
upon the past ; still, I trust there are some few of the younger 
portion of the community engaged in commerce, who will be 
glad to read and profit by the experience of others. 

I also hope there is still a remnant of men, advanced in life, 
who are willing to reflect on by-gone days, and, from associa- 
tion, love to call up scenes of early life. 

•After the above remarks, I have but little more to add. 

Men will read or forbear, as best suits their inclinations ; and in 

taking leave of the subject, I have only to say that my task is 

done ; and I now bid adieu to the sea, and to all its pleasures 

and perils forever. 

G. C. 

Brooklyn, New Yokk, Feb. 1853. 



PREFACE 

TO THE THIRD EDITION 



I herewith avail myself of the opportunity afforded me by 
publishing a third edition of my " Voyages to Various Parts of 
the "World," to correct a few typographical errors in my pre- 
vious writings which I had myself discovered, or which had 
been pointed out to me from other sources. This edition com- 
prises all my previous published voyages, and embraces the 
whole in one entire volume. I have revised and enlarged -my 
work, given additional notes and explanations, and also added 
a few more voyages, extracted from my manuscript journal, 
which was regularly kept for a period of fifty-eight years. 

My first foreign voyage to Cadiz was made in 1799, and my 
last to Rio Janeiro in 1841, consequently they extend over a 
space of more than forty-two years. I have been travelling and 
voyaging about the world for almost sixty years, and of course 
have passed through many perilous and exciting scenes not 
given ■ to the public, but I have related enough to prove the 
hardships and trials of a seaman's life, and also to show that 
mine has been a checkered one. It would, therefore, be un- 
grateful in me not to acknowledge the protecting hand of a kind 
Providence, in sustaining and bringing me through so many 
trying and dangerous scenes, both by sea and land. While 
many of my cotemporaries have perished by disease in foreign 
lands or been swallowed up in the great deep, I have been pre- 



12 PEEFAOE TO THE THIRD EDITION. 

served to record the events of my life, and to enjoy the tran- 
quillity so much needed when drawing near the close of one's 
earthly pilgrimage. 

In this edition, I have endeavored to call the attention of 
the present generation to the vast progress and improvement in 
our naval and mercantile marine. Perhaps there is no branch 
of art or science which has advanced so rapidly as naval archi- 
tecture, and the management of ships, both in the navy and in 
the merchant service. In the early part of my sea-life, our 
merchant ships were small and badly constructed, and were 
they in existence at the present day would be considered as un- 
seaworthy, while in the navy they were not much better with 
but few exceptions. It is needless for me to enlarge on the pre- 
sent state of our naval and commercial marine, as every one 
knows the magnitude and formidable qualities of our ships of 
war, and the beauty and magnificence of our packet and clipper 
ships in the merchant service. I will only add on this subject, 
that our country at the present day furnishes models for men- 
of-war and merchant ships for almost all other nations. 

In narrating these Yoyages, it has been my constant aim to 
do justice to all, and needlessly to hurt the feelings of no in- 
dividual named in my work ; still, I have strictly adhered to 
the truth under all circumstances, and have never called good 
evil nor evil good, and therefore hope to die at peace with God 
and all mankind. 

In conclusion, I would say to those of my readers who may 
have the patience to follow me through a portion of my wander- 
ings, that whatever may be their opinion with respect to its 
literary merits, they will do me the justice to believe that can- 
dor and impartiality have been my sincere desire. 

G. C. 

Brooklyn, New York, Oct. 1858. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 
Dedication, .........3 

Preface to the First Edition, ...... 5 

Preface to the Second Edition, ------- 9 

Preface to the Third Edition, - - - - - - 11 

Sketch of the author's early life and parentage, - - - - 25 

CHAPTER I. 

First foreign voyage in the schooner Charlotte, from New York to Cadiz and 
back to New York, in the years 1799 and 1800. — Leave Milford to join the 
Charlotte as cabin-boy. — The melancholy news of General "Washington's 
death reach New York two days after its occurrence. — Sail on the 22d. — 
Intense desire to see the Old World. — Arrive at Cadiz the 16th of Jan- 
uary. — Description of that city. — Lose a man overboard. — Religious prac- 
tice at time of vespers. — Sale of indulgences. — Cadiz Bay. — Discharge 
cargo and load with another of wine and brandy. — Sail for New York, and 
arrive there the 20th March, - * - - - - 31 



CHAPTER II. 

Second voyage in the schooner Charlotte to Savannah, thence to the Mediter- 
ranean, and back to New York in the year 1800. — Sail from New York. — 
Arrive at Savannah. — Desertion of the crew at that place. — Load for Gib- 
raltar. — Sail from Savannah. — Sickness of the captain and mate. — Chased 
by the U. S. brig Pickering. — Arrive at Gibraltar. — Witness a sea-fight be- 
tween the American ship Louisa and three Spanish and French gun-boats. — 
Captain of the American ship killed. — Leave Gibraltar for Alicant. — Quar- 
antined thirty days at that place. — Sail from Alicant. — Robbed by pirates. 
— Touch at Gibraltar. — Leave that place for New York. — Arrive there 
about the middle of November, - - - - - - 36 



14 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER III. 

Pago 
Voyage in the brig Horatio, Captain Pringle, from Milford, Connecticut, to 
Martinique, St. Kitt's and St. Croix, and back to New Haven, iD the years 
1800 and 1801. — Cargo under deck, flour, staves, etc. — On deck, horses 
and small stock. — Sail from Milford the 20th December. — Arrive at St. 
Pierre, Martinique, the 15th January. — Sell deck load of cattle and sail for 
St. Kitt's. — See lying at anchor here a small squadron of American men-of- 
war, under command of Commodore Truxton. — Number of ships compos- 
ing our navy in 1801, and its number in 1858. — Its force and protection to 
our commerce. — Its gradual increase. — National motto. — Effectual assist- 
ance of privateers and letters-of-marque in the war with England in 1812. — 
Load with rum and sugar. — Sail for the United States.— Reach New Haven 
in March, - - - - - - - - -43 

CHAPTER IV. 

Voyage in the schooner Thomas, with Captain Henry Turner, from Milford, 
Connecticut, to Berbice and the West India Islands, and back to Milford, 
in the years 1802 and 1803. — Ashore on Fisher's Island. — Violent gale 
which lasts three days. — Lose a man overboard. — Remarks on Berbice. — 
Grenadilla Bank. — Arrive at Milford the 10th April, - - - 4*7 

CHAPTER V. 

Voyage in the schooner Theresa, with Captain Adam Pond, from Milford, Con- 
necticut, to Terceira, and from thence to New York, in the year 1804. — 
Leave Montauk Point. — Arrive at Terceira. — Load with fruit. — Remarks 
on the Azores or Western Islands. — Sail from that place, - - - 54 

CHAPTER VI. 

Voyage in the schooner Betsey and Polly, with Captain Caleb A. Townsend, 
from New Haven, Connecticut, to Barbadoes, St. Lucie and St. Martin's, 
and back to New Haven, in 1804. — Dispose of our cattle at sea. — Men-of- 
war firing upon the boats of the merchant ships. — Arrive at Barbadoes. — 
St. Lucie and St. Martin's, - - - - -,'.-.-' - 58 

CHAPTER VII. 

Voyage in the schooner Industry, to Teneriffe, in the years 1805 and 1806. — 
Load for Teneriffe. — Sail from New York. — Make the Island of Madeira. — 
Sleepy captain. — Narrow escape from shipwreck on the Salvages. — Arrive 
at Teneriffe. — Discharge cargo. — First news of the battle of Trafalgar, and 
the death of Lord Nelson. — His repulse while storming this place in 1191. 
— Slip our cables, and go to sea in a violent gale of wind. — Run down and 



CONTENTS. 15 

Pago 
dismasted by the ship Catherine. — Narrow escape from drowning in the 
surf. — Eighteen days at sea on the wreck. — Return to Santa Cruz. — Indus- 
try condemned. — Transferred to a prize brig. — Sail for New York. — Off 
Sandy Hook. — See a shot fired from the British frigate Leander into a 
sloop. — John Pierce, an American citizen, killed. — Meeting of citizens in 
the Park. — Arrive safe at New York, - - - - -63 

CHAPTER YIII. 

Voyage in the ship Marshall from New York to Leghorn, and from thence to 
New Orleans, with Captain William Heth, in the years 1806 and ISO?. — 
Arrive at Gibraltar. — Catch a great number of turtle. — Arrive at Leghorn. 
— Remarks on Leghorn aDd Pisa. — Arrive at the mouth of the Mississippi. 
— Remarks on that river. — A deserter reprieved. — Remarks on New Or- 
leans, - - - - - - - - -71 

CHAPTER IX. 

First voyage in the schooner Centurion, from New Orleans to Vera Cruz and 
back to New Orleans, with Captain John Waller, in the year 1807. — Sail 
from New Orleans. — Arrive at Vera Cruz. — Make a short voyage, and re- 
turn to New Orleans, - - - - - - -78 

CHAPTER X. 

Second voyage in the schooner Centurion, to Vera Cruz and back to New Or- 
leans, with Captain J. Waller, in the year 1807. — Sail from New Orleans. — 
Arrive at Vera Cruz. — Difficulty with the custom-house officers. — Go on 
board a Spanish sloop-of-war. — Leave Vera Cruz. — Return to New Or- 
leans. — Sail from New Orleans to New York in the schooner Hetty. — Re- 
marks on the attack of the British ship-of-war Leopard on the U. S. frigate 
Chesapeake, - - - - - - - - -80 

CHAPTER XI. 

First voyage in the schooner Hamilton, from New York to Vera Cruz, and back 
to New York, with Captain J. Waller, in the year 1807. — Sail from New 
York. — Robbed by pirates. — Arrive at Vera Cruz. — Sail from Vera Cruz. — 
Return to New York, - - - - - -84 

CHAPTER XII. 

Second voyage in the schooner Hamilton, from New York to Vera Cruz, and 
back to New York, with Captain J. Waller, in the year 1808. — Arrive at 
Vera Cruz. — Its harbor. — High prices of merchandise at that place. — Vio- 
lence of northers. — General remarks on the port and city of Vera Cruz. — 
Sail for home, and arrive at New York, - - - - - 89 



16 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Pago 
Third Voyage in the schooner Hamilton, with Captain John Richards, from New- 
York to Vera Cruz, thence to Philadelphia, and back to New York, in the 
year 1808. — Sail from New York. — Arrive at Vera Cruz. — Climate and 
health of that place. — Take on board Don Jose C. de Villanueva and his 
family. — Sail from Vera Cruz. — Arrive at Philadelphia, - - - 92 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Voyage in the brig Henry and Isabella, from New York to St. Bartholomew, 
and back to New York, in the year 1809. — Sail from New York. — Arrive 
at St. Bartholomew. — Sail from that place. — First voyage captain. — His 
motto, -.--,-.'.- ... -95 

CHAPTER XV. 

Voyage in the ship Virginia, from New York to Petersburg, Va., thence to 
Europe, and back to New York, in the year 1809. — Sail from Norfolk. — 
Arrive at Falmouth. — Arrive at Heligoland. — Enter the Eyder. — Remarks 
on Tonningen. — Also on Hamburg. — Sail from Tonningen. — Pass Fair 
Island Passage. — Get near the coast of Iceland. — Arrive at New York, - 98 

CHAPTER XVI. 

First voyage in the pilot-boat schooner Eliza, from New. York to Tonningen, 
and back to New York, in the year 1810. — Sail from New York. — Get 
among the ice on the Banks of Newfoundland. — Loss of theship Jupiter 
among the ice. — Speak the ship Pilgrim. — Pass through the Pentland 
Firth. — Arrive at Tonningen. — Visit to Hamburg. — Sail from Tonningen. 
— Arrive at New York, _-.,.-- 108 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Second voyage in the schooner Eliza, from New York to Sweden and Russia, 
and back to New York, in the years 1810 and 1811. — Sail from New York. 
— Arrive at Gottenburg. — Remarks on that city. — Pass through the Great 
Belt. — Danish gun-boats. — Arrive at Carlsham. — Taken by the English. — 
Sail from Carlsham. — Arrive at Riga. — Remarks on wintering in Russia. — 
Sail from Riga. — Lose a man overboard. — Arrive at New York, - - 117 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

First voyage in the ship America, from Philadelphia to Lisbon, and back to New 
York, in the years 1811 and 1812. — Drunken mutiny on the Delaware 
river. — Sail from the Capes. — Ship takes the ground. — Arrive at Lisbon. — 
Sail from that place. — Make a good voyage for the owners. — Return to 
New York, -•-..-.-. 143 



CONTENTS. 17 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Pago 
Second voyage in the ship America, from New York to Lisbon, and back to 
New York, in the year 1812. — Sail from New York. — Arrive at Lisbon. — 
Remarks on the probability of a war. — Religious mate. — Five days calm 
weather. — Escape from the enemy. — News of war with England. — Arrive 
at New York, - - - - - - - - 147 

CHAPTER XX. 

Third voyage in the ship America, to Lisbon and back to New York, in the 
years 1812 and 1813. — Sail from New York. — Passage of twenty-five days. 
— Arrive at Lisbon. — Description of that city. — Sail for New York, and ar- 
rive there the 19th January. — Slight sketch of W. W. De Forest, Esq., - 155 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Voyage to France, and a short cruise in the Bay of Biscay, in the letter-of- 
marque schooner David Porter, in the years 1813 and 1814. — Load in Prov- 
idence, R. I. — Sail from Newport, in a snow storm, bound to Charleston. — 
Pass through the British fleet. — Chased by sundry English men-of-war, on 
the passage. — Arrive off Charleston. — Chased by the English brig-of-war 
Dotterell. — Fire a few shot at her. — Get safe into Charleston. — Load there 
with cotton. — Sail from Charleston for Bordeaux. — Escape of our first 
prize. — Encounter a violent gale of wind in the Bay of Biscay. — Schooner 
struck by a sea, and knocked on her beam-ends. — Arrive at La Teste. — 
Difficulty with the owners and agents of the cotton. — Bordeaux taken by 
the English. — Compel the pilot to take the schooner to sea. — Chased by a 
British frigate. — Narrowly escape her grasp. — Capture four British prizes. 
— Run for L'He Dieu. — Arrive at that place. — Dispatch the David Porter 
for New York. — Remarks on L'lle Dieu. — Land at St. Gilles. — Arrive at La 
Rochelle. — Remarks on that place ; also on the American brigs Rattlesnake 
and Ida. — Schooner Decatur, etc. — Return to Bordeaux. — Go to Paris. — 
Visit Nantes and sundry other places on the western coast of France. — 
Settle all commercial affairs, and prepare to return home, - - - 158 

CHAPTER XXII. 

A short cruise in the letter-of-marque schooner Leo, from L'Orient to Charles- 
ton, and her capture, in the years 1814 and 1815. — Prepare and fit out the 
Leo, at L'Orient. — Disarmed by order of the French government. — Sail 
from L'Orient. — Proceed to the English Channel. — Capture several prizes. 
— Compelled to leave the Channel, and steer to the southward, on account 
of being badly armed, and very deficient in sails and rigging. — Arrive off 
Lisbon. — Dismasted while in chase of a British packet. — Taken by the 
Granicus frigate, and towed round to Gibraltar. — Proceed in the Granicus 
to Tetuan Bay, Morocco. — Return to Gibraltar. — Refusal of the Governor 
2 



18 CONTENTS. 

Pago 
of that place to parole myself and officers. — Examination at the Admiralty 
office. — Escape from the garrison, — Go on board a Norwegian galiot.— 
Hubbub and confusion in Gibraltar, to find the captain of the Leo. — Take 
passage to Algeciras with a gang of smugglers. — Reside with the family of 
the captain of the gang. — Aided and protected by the American Consul, 
Horatio Sprague, Esq. — Leave Algeciras, in disguise, for Cadiz. — Remarks 
on that region of country. — Arrive at Cadiz. — Kind reception at that place 
by his old friends and countrymen. — Residence at Cadiz. — Theatres and 
bull-fights. — Sail from Cadiz for Lisbon, in a Portuguese vessel. — Remarks 
on the passage. — Arrive at Lisbon. — Sail from that place for New York, in 
the Portuguese brig " Tres Hermanos." — Remarks on the passage. — Arrive 
at New York, - - - - . - - 200 

CHAPTER XXIH. 

Voyage in the ship John Hamilton, from Baltimore to Savannah, thence to Lis- 
bon and St. TJbes, and back to New York, in the years 1815 and 1816. — 
Fit out the ship in Baltimore. — Sail from that place for Savannah. — Sick- 
ness and death of the officers and seamen at that place. — Load with rice. — 
Sail for Lisbon. — Sickness and death on the passage. — A leaky ship and 
severe hardships. — Arrive at Lisbon. — Experience a severe earthquake. — 
Discharge the crew and ship another. — Sail for St. TJbes. — Load with salt. 
— Remarks on that place. — Encounter icebergs on the passage. — Arrive at 
New York. — Discharge the crew. — Return to Milford, ... 232 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

Voyage in the pilot-boat schooner Iris, from New York to Martinique, St. Eusta- 
tia, St. Thomas, Porto Rico, St. Martin's, and back to New York, in the 
years 1816 and 1817. — Sail from New York. — Encounter a severe gale of 
wind. — Destruction of a French fleet of men-of-war. — Remarks on the size 
of ships and vessels. — Arrive at St. Pierre, Martinique. — Yellow fever in 
that port. — General remarks on the island. — Sail from St. Pierre for St. 
Eustatia. — Arrive at that island. — Remarks on an exhausted volcano. — 
General remarks on that and the neighboring islands. — Sail from St. Eusta- 
tia for St. Thomas. — Arrive at St. Thomas. — Sail for Ponce, Porto Rico. — 
Arrive at that place. — General remarks on the south side of Porto Rico. — 
Purchase cattle, corn, and other articles of merchandise. — Death of James 
Coggeshall. — Narrow escape from assassination. — Visit Penuela. — Attend 
mass in a Catholic church. — Valiant alcalde. — Load with cattle and corn. — 
Remarks before leaving the island. — Sail from Ponce, bound to St. Mar- 
tin's. — Touch at Santa Cruz. — Arrive at St. Martin's. — Remarks on that 
island. — Visit St. Bartholomew's. — Return to St. Martin's. — Load with 
sugar. — Sail for New York. — Arrive at that city, the 30th of April, - 247 



CONTENTS. 19 

CHAPTER XXV. 

Page 
Voyage in the schooner Iris, from New York to Teneriffe, St. Thomas, Havana, 
and from thence to New York, in the years 1818 and 1819. — Preliminary 
remarks. — Sail from New York. — Pass through Long Island Sound. — A se- 
vere gale. — Novelty of ocean scenery. — Arrive at Teneriffe. — Hire a house 
in Santa Cruz. — Costume of the Spanish ladies. — A jaunt to the interior of 
the island. — A visit to the churches and nunneries. — Conversation with the 
nuns. — Magnificent view of the peak. — Port of Orotava. — Load with 
brandy. — General remarks on the Canary Islands. — Sail from Teneriffe. — 
Arrive at St. Thomas. — Get supplies of fruit, &c. — Sail from St. Thomas. — 
Pass through Sail Rock Passage. — Make the Hole-in-the-Wall. — Bahama 
Banks. — Arrive at the Havana. — Remarks on that place. — Load the Iris in 
the Havana. — Sail from that place. — Arrive at New York, - 268 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

Voyage in the United States brig Enterprise, with Captain Lawrence Kearney, 
from New York to Omoa, thence to Vera Cruz, in the schooner Retrieve, 
and back to New York, in the year 1819. — Remarks on the object of the 
voyage. — Sail from New York. — Mona Passage. — Coast of San Domingo. — 
Coast of Jamaica. — Lose a man overboard. — Swan Islands. — Bay of Hon- 
duras. — Arrive at Omoa. — Salute the Castle. — Good Governor. — Remarks 
on Omoa. — Sail from that place in the Retrieve in company with the En- 
terprise. — Separate from the Enterprise. — Intemperate crew. — Arrive at 
Vera Cruz. — Ingratitude of Baker Smith. — Superstition of a sailor. — 
Troubles in Vera Cruz. — Sail from Vera Cruz. — Alacrane Islands. — Narrow 
escape from a water-spout. — Put into Savannah. — Arrive at New York. — 
Settle the voyage. — Execution of Mr. Brown, mate of the Retrieve, - 281 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

Voyage in the sloop Volusia, from New York to St. Jago de Cuba and Omoa, 
thence to New Orleans, Truxillo and Bonaca, and back to New York, in 
the years 1820 and 1821. — Sail from New York. — Make Turk's Island and 
St. Domingo. — Arrive at St. Jago de Cuba. — Not allowed to sell my cargo. 
— Description of that place. — Leave St. Jago de Cuba. — Make Bonaca. — 
Sail down to the southward of Rattan Island. — Appearance of the coast of 
Honduras. — Arrive at Omoa. — Terrible earthquakes. — Indolence of the 
people. — General Remarks on Omoa. — Sail from that place. — Melancholy 
death of Mr. Fricker. — Arrive at Truxillo. — Variegated plumage of the 
birds and brilliant colors of the fish. — Sell the residue of my cargo at that 
place. — General character of the people. — Sail from Truxillo. — Arrive at 
the mouth of the Mississippi. — Tedious passage up that river. — Arrive at 
New Orleans. — Low prices of provisions, etc. — Sail from New Orleans. — 
Leave the Mississippi. — Arrive at Truxillo. — Description of that place. — 



20 CONTENTS. 



Recover a large brass cannon. — Meanness of its Governor. — Remarks on 
the Caribs. — Sail from Truxillo. — Arrive at Bonaca. — Collect cocoanuts. — 
Large serpent and turtle. — Description of that island. — Sail for New York. 
— Arrive at that city. — Settle the voyage. — Letter from Captain Baker, - 295 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Voyage in the pilot-boat schooner Sea-Serpent, from New York to Lima, in the 
years 1821 and 1822. — Sail from New York bound to Lima. — Make the 
Island of St. Mary's. — Catch large numbers of flying-fish. — Cross the Equi- 
noctial Line in longitude 26° W. — See the Magellan clouds. — A dead 
whale, with thousands of birds devouring it. — Speak two whalemen. — Make 
the Falkland Islands. — Pass near Staten Land. — Make Cape Horn. — Violent 
gales off that Cape. — Poisonous fish. — Pass near the Island of Massafuero. 
— See Juan Fernandez. — Arrive at Lima. — Sell both vessel and cargo. — 
Take charge of the brig Dick. — Sail from Lima, bound for Guayaquil. — See 
the Lobos Islands. — Touch at Guanchaco. — Remarks on this place and 
Truxillo. — Pass over a ruined city. — Indian mounds. — Indian boatmen, — 
Earthquakes. — Inca's fresh fish. — Mode of transporting goods. — Sail from 
Guanchaco. — Touch at Payta. — Remarks on that place. — Sail from Payta. 
— Arrive at Puna. — Proceed up the river to Guayaquil. — Remarks on that 
city. — Sell the brig Dick. — Remarks on Captain William L. Hudson. — Take 
passage for Panama, in the brig "Los dos Hermanos." — Sail from Guaya- 
quil. — Touch at Monte Christi. — Remarks on that place. — Ill-bred captain. 
— Arrive at Panama. — Remarks on that place. — Proceed to Cruces. — Ob- 
servations on that place. — Go down the river to Chagres. — Remarks on 
that place. — Sail from Chagres for the Havana. — Arrive at Havana.— 
Leave the Havana for Philadelphia. — From thence return to New York, - 313 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Voyage from New York to the Havana and back to New York, in the schooner 
Swan, in the year 1823. — Agreement with the owners. — Sail from New 
York. — Inefficient mate. — Bad crew. — Make the Hole-in-the-Wall. — Isaac 
Rocks. — Bahama Banks. — Escape from a piratical vessel. — Arrive at the 
Havana. — Trials and troubles at that place. — Take a cargo for New York. 
— Remarks on the frequent piracies at that time. — Sail under convoy of 
two United States schooners. — Passage home. — Arrive at New York. — 
Keath of Mr. Patterson. — Quarantine ground. — -Settle the voyage. — Gen- 
eral remarks and comments on the piracies in the West Indies, in the year 
1823. — Connection between the pirates and the inhabitants of Cuba. — 
Dreadful murders and barbarities committed by pirates at this period.— 
Awful murder of Captain Thornby and his mate, Mr. Roberts. — Burning of 
the brig Vineyard. — How to make a pirate, as related by Gibbs. — Condem- 
nation and execution of the pirates, Gibbs and Walmsley, - - - 368 



CONTENTS. 21 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Pago 
Voyage from New York to Cadiz, and thence to St. Thomas and Alvarado, in 
the brig Nymph, of New York, in the years 1823 and 1824. — Sail from 
New York, bound to Cadiz. — Make Cape St. Vincent. — See Cape St. Mary. 
— Ignorance of fishermen. — Enter the port of Cadiz in the night. — French 
blockade raised. — General remarks on Spain. — Load for Alvarado. — Spanish 
passengers. — Sail from Cadiz. — Touch at the Island of Gomera. — Trade 
winds. — West India Islands. — Arrive at St. Thomas. — Refit and sail from 
that place. — Pass down through the islands. — Arrive at Alvarado. — Driven 
ashore in a norther. — Sail from Alvarado, bound for the Havana. — Spring 
a leak, and return to port. — Condemnation of the brig Nymph. — Miraculous 
escape of a boat's crew belonging to the IT. S. schooner Shark. — Remarks 
on Alvarado and the adjacent country. — A band of robbers in Mexico. — 
Take passage in the schooner Mexican for Philadelphia. — Sail from Alva- 
rado. — Arrive at Philadelphia. — Return home to New York, - - 383 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

Voyage in the ship Governor Clinton, David Hepburn, master, from New York 
to Chili, Peru and Colombia, on the western coast of South America, 
thence to Gibraltar, and back to New York, in the years 1825, 1826 and 
1827 ; myself supercargo. — Sail from New York. — Sea-sickness. — Make 
the Island of St. Antonio. — Cross the Equinox. — Make Terra del Fuego. — 
Loss of a Spanish seventy-four. — French sloop-of-war, her sails in tatters. 
— Storms and tempests off Cape Horn. — Bland climate of the Pacific. — 
Make the St. Felix Isles. — Arrive at Callao. — Proceed to Chorillos. — Com- 
mercial affairs at Lima. — Face of the country at and about this place. — Its 
delicious fruits. — Sail from Chorillos. — Arrive at Arica. — Go to Tacna. — 
Remarks on that place. — Character of the people. — Guano Islands. — Value 
of Guano. — Return to Arica. — Character of the people. — Sail from that 
place. — Cabin passengers. — Arrive at Valparaiso. — Description of that 
place. — Take a cargo of wild mules. — Sail from that place. — Arrive at 
Lima. — Peacock and Georgia Packet. — Accident to the Packet. — Robberies 
on the Callao road. — Sail from Callao. — Arrive at Eton. — Character of the 
people. — Proceed by land to Lambayeque. — Description of that place. — 
Procession of grotesque figures. — Sail from Lambayeque. — Touch at Payta. 
— Description of that place. — Sail from Payta. — Arrive at Guayaquil. — 
Take a cargo of cocoa. — Description of that place. — Sail from Guayaquil. — 
Arrive at Payta. — Take in bark. — Sail from that place. — Arrive at Lamba- 
yeque. — Take on board plata-pina. — Loss of one pataca. — Sail from that 
place. — Quick and pleasant passage round Cape Horn. — Cross the Equinox. 
— Speak an English ship, with monkeys. — Arrive at Gibraltar. — Get letters 
from home. — Sail from that place. — Arrive at New York. — Severe winter. 
— Settle the voyage, ....... - 411 



22 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XXXH. 

Page 
Voyage to St. Bartholomew, St. Thomas, Santa Cruz and Porto Rico, in the 
years 1830 and 1831. — Sail from New Tork. — Arrive at St. Bartholomew. 
— Description of that island. — Leave it, and proceed to St. Thomas. — Ar- 
rive at St. Thomas. — Sail from thence to Santa Cruz. — Description of that 
Island. — Leave it, and return to St. Thomas. — Sail from St. Thomas for 
Porto Rico. — Arrive at St. John's. — Description of that place. — Attend a 
grand civic and military ball. — Observations on that city. — Sail from St. 
John's for Aquadilla. — Arrive at that place. — Its productions and exports. 
— Leave Aquadilla for Mayaguez. — Arrive at that place. — Remarks on that 
place and its exports. — Slave trade. — Visit the sugar and coffee estates. — 
Travel on horseback from thence to Ponce. — Remarks on that place and 
the neighboring towns. — A slave brig. — Leave Ponce for Guayama. — Travel 
on horseback through the country. — Arrive at Guayama. — Description of 
that place. — Its exports, etc. — Leave Guayama in a packet boat for St. 
Thomas. — Sufferings on the passage. — Arrive at St. Thomas. — Description 
of that place. — Slave ships and the slave trade. — Take passage for New 
York, where we arrived on the 21st of April, 1831. — General Remarks on 
the decline of trade between the United States and the West Indies, - 498 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

Preliminary remarks and observations, preceding several voyages made in the 
brig Brilliant, during a space of four years, namely, from the year 1837 
to 1841, inclusive. 

First voyage in the brig Brilliant, from New York to the Isle of May and Rio 
de Janeiro, thence to New Orleans and Boston, in the years 183*7 and 
1838. — Sail from New York. — Strong gales from the westward during the 
whole passage. — Make the Isle of Sol, one of the Cape de Verds. — Pass 
down through this group. — Arrive at the Isle of May. — Take a cargo of 
salt. — Description of that Island. — Character of the people. — Sail from 
that place. — Cross the line. — Arrive at Rio de Janeiro. — Capacious harbor 
of Rio. — Magnificent and bold scenery. — Number of inhabitants. — Com- 
mercial importance. — Purchase a cargo of coffee. — Sail from that place. — 
View of Pernambuco and Olinda. — Make Barbadoes. — Pass down through 
the Caribbean Islands. — Arrive at New Orleans. — Take a freight of cotton 
to Boston. — Arrive at that place. — Send the Brilliant to Nova Scotia. — 
Return home, - - - - - - - 528 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

Second voyage in the brig Brilliant, from New York to the Isle of May, Rio de 
Janeiro, and from thence to New Orleans and Connecticut, in the years 
1838 and 1839. — Remarks preceding a second voyage in the Brilliant. — 
Make an arrangement for a credit on London. — Leave New York for Rio 



CONTENTS. 23 



de Janeiro in the Brig Himmelah. — Arrive at Rio. — Brilliant sails from 
New York on the 13th of October. — Arrive at the Isle of May. — Brilliant 
arrives at Rio. — City of Rio. — Remarks on the Inhabitants. — Emperor's 
Birthday. — The churches and public buildings. — Botanical Garden. — Mix- 
ing of races. — Brazilian navy. — Fine gardens in the vicinity of Rio. — In- 
crease of coffee. — Importation of slaves. — Load with coffee. — Sail from 
Rio. — Pass Cape St. Augustine. — See Pernambuco and Olinda. — Make 
Barbadoes. — Pass through the West India Islands. — Mouth of the Mis- 
sissippi. — Arrive at New Orleans. — Dispose of the cargo. — Freight with 
cotton. — Sail from New Orleans. — Arrive at Saybrook. — Settle the voy- 
age, ---------- 545 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

Third voyage in the brig Brilliant, from Saybrook to Sydney, N. S., and 
thence to Philadelphia, in the year 1839. — Preliminary remarks. — Sail 
from Saybrook. — Departure from Montauk Point. — Make the Island of 
Cape Breton. — Cold, foggy weather. — Make Flint Island. — Remarks on the 
cod fishery. — Make Scattery Island. — Arrive at Sydney. — Hospitality of 
its inhabitants. — Coal mines. — Number of inhabitants. — An Indian tribe. 
— Birch canoe. — Sail from Sydney. — Catch codfish and halibut. — Capes 
of the Delaware. — Cape Henlopen. — The Breakwater. — River Delaware. — 
Arrive at Philadelphia. — Settle the voyage, .... 557 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

Fourth and last voyage in the brig Brilliant, from New York to Rio de Janeiro, 
and from thence to New Orleans, in the years 1840 and 1841. — Prelimi- 
nary remarks. — Sail from New York. — Severe tempest. — Make the Island 
of St. Antonio. — Cross the Line. — Southeast trades. — Clear skies and fine 
weather. — Arrive at Rio. — American missionary and his family. — Climate 
in the mountains. — Load with coffee. — Sail from Rio. — Make Cape St. 
Augustine. — Make Barbadoes. — Pass through the West India Islands. — 
Mouth of the Mississippi. — Shipwreck in that river. — Bayou Carrion Crow. 
— Send the coffee in lighters to New Orleans. — Remarks on the Mississippi 
and its mouths. — The inhabitants. — Region of Carrion Crow. — Oystermen. 
— Arrive at New Orleans. — Sell the materials of the Brilliant. — Dispose of 
the coffee. — Settle the voyage. — Return to New York. — Insurance Compa- 
nies. — The end, - - - - - - - - 567 



SKETCH 



AUTHOR'S EARLY LIFE AND PARENTAGE. 



As most readers are desirous of knowing something of the 
author's origin, I have concluded to give a preliminary sketch 
of my family and early life. 

At the breaking out of the Revolution in 1775, my father, 
William Coggeshall, of Milford, Connecticut, then only nineteen 
years of age, voluntarily joined a company of his townsmen 
under the command of Captain Samuel Peck. This company, 
augmented by a considerable number of volunteers and enlisted 
men, formed a portion of Colonel Hinman's regiment, under the 
supervision of a committee appointed by the Legislature of Con- 
necticut, then in session. They left Milford in October, and 
marched through the wilderness to strengthen the garrison at 
Ticonderoga, which had been previously captured by Colonel 
Ethan Allen, on the night of the 9th of May, 1775. After re- 
maining there all winter, and enduring many hardships and 
much suffering, they returned home the next spring in a desti- 
tute condition, to repose for a brief space. The people of Con- 
necticut, at this period, were suffering severely by the depreda- 
tions of the English, so that every man capable of bearing arms 
felt it his duty to defend his country, and to annoy the enemy 
in every possible way within his power. 

In 1777 a small fort was erected at the entrance of Milford 
Harbor. This battery was commanded by James Davidson, a 



26 SKETCH OF THE AUTHOE's LIFE. 

veteran shipmaster, to protect the port and its vicinity from the 
marauding ravages of the small British vessels and boats, which 
at this time infested our waters. In this fort my father served 
for a short period, but finding the situation too inactive for his 
desire of enterprise and distinction, he procured a substitute, 
and joined the armed sloop "Guilford" as chief mate, under 
the command of "William Nott, Esq. This vessel was armed 
and equipped by the State of Connecticut, and commissioned 
by Governor Trumbull in May, 1779, to cruise in Long Island 
Sound to protect the trade and commerce of the American 
Colonies, as the States were called at that period. Captain Nott 
was ordered to take, burn, sink and destroy the common enemy 
wherever he could be found within the waters of Long Island 
Sound, and also to protect the shores from the assaults and dep- 
redations of the British and their adherents, and to report 
progress from time to time to the Governor of the State. 

In this service my father was employed for several months, 
under two commanders, Captain William Nott, of Milford, and 
Captain David Hawley, I think, from Fairfield or Stamford. I 
have a list of the officers and crew of this vessel, who were 
mostly young men, and numbered between thirty and forty 
souls. I regret that the reports of the several cruises of this 
vessel cannot be found among the records of the State Depart- 
ment at Hartford, for I have no doubt they would contain many 
interesting facts and incidents which would be valuable remi- 
niscences as connected with the war of the Revolution. 

After making several cruises in this armed sloop, my father, 
desiring a wider field of daring enterprise, joined the armed 
brig "New Defence," on the 7th of October, 1779, as sailing- 
master's mate, with Captain Charles Pond, of Milford. The 
" New Defence," was a small brig built in Guilford, but fitted 
and equipped at New Haven. She mostly belonged to private 
individuals, but was furnished with rigging and sundry muni- 
tions of war by the State of Connecticut. She was therefore 
commissioned by Governor Trumbull, and considered more like 
a vessel belonging to the State than a regular privateer. The 
" New Defence " was not very well armed, her guns being 
small four and six pounders, with small arms not very efficient. 



SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE. 27 

She had, however, a gallant crew of young men and good 
officers. The first lieutenant, William McQueene, had served 
in the same capacity on board the "Guilford" for several 
months, but left this sloop with my father and several others, to 
cruise against the English on the Atlantic Ocean. The crew 
was composed of officers and seamen belonging to Milford, 
New Haven, and the neighboring seaport towns. She sailed 
from New Haven in the latter part of October, and passed 
through Long Island Sound. Not long after leaving port, while 
cruising off Sandy Hook, New York, she fell in with and en- 
gaged a large English brig of war. It certainly would have 
been more prudent to have avoided an engagement with an 
enemy so superior in size and force to the frail little brig " New 
Defence," but the brave Captain Pond and his gallant officers 
and crew thought otherwise. "With this determination they 
continued the action at close quarters for more than an hour. 
During the fight the sailing-master of the " New Defence " was 
killed, and many of the crew were wounded and disabled. The 
sails and rigging were so cut to pieces by the round and grape 
shot of the enemy, that the little brig became unmanageable, 
and was compelled to surrender to superior force and numbers. 
A few days after her capture she arrived in NeAv York, where 
the captain and first lieutenant were forthwith paroled or ex- 
changed, while all the other officers and crew were immediately 
transferred to the " Jersey," then lying in the Wallabout, where, 
during a long and dreary winter, these unfortunate men were 
confined in that pestilential prison-ship with scarcely enough 
food and clothing to sustain life. In addition to all other com- 
plicated evils, my father was seized with the small-pox, which 
reduced him to death's door, so that when exchanged in the 
spring, he was so weak as hardly to be able to walk. On his 
return home to Milford he was so terribly marked with the 
effects of this disease, that it was with difficulty his friends could 
recognize him. 

Such were the scenes and sufferings of thousands of those 
revolutionary heroes who served in subordinate situations during 
that eventful war. The generals, officers, statesmen and leading 
actors of the Revolution are known and justly appreciated by 



28 SKETCH OF THE ATJTHOk's LIFE. 

their countrymen and the world at large ; but alas ! how few 
of the subalterns and private individuals who suffered and died 
for their country, are ever known in history. Generals, states- 
men, and those who took the lead in these trying times, were 
doubtless good patriots. They knew also that if they gained 
battles over the enemy they would rise to distinction, and by 
their gallant acts would be crowned with undying fame, and 
that their names would be embalmed on the pages of their coun- 
try's history, while the subalterns and private soldiers had but 
little to hope for in the way of promotion. They, therefore, 
were moved by pure love of country, thus to hazard life and all 
its endearments for the land which gave them birth. Although 
it is true that every individual actor in the great drama of war 
cannot be designated or exalted on the pages of history, still 
every private soldier's hardships and sufferings are nevertheless 
entitled to his country's gratitude and sympathy. The Saviour 
said, " He that gives a cup of cold water to one of my disciples, 
shall in no wise lose his reward," then by the same principle of 
justice, how can a nation withhold its gratitude and admiration 
from those who fought and bled for its liberty, independence, 
and its subsequent honor and glory ? 

After the peace was proclaimed in 1783, my father retired 
to the peaceful avocations of private life, and was occupied as a 
shipmaster for several years. He commanded sundry brigs and 
schooners from Connecticut to the West India Islands, and was 
generally successful in these operations. Having acquired con- 
siderable property in the business as captain and supercargo, he 
purchased three or four brigs and schooners and employed them 
in the same trade, while he remained on shore to direct and 
manage these vessels for the mutual interest of all those con- 
cerned with him in the enterprise. The late war had so ex- 
hausted the resources of the country that it was unable to sup- 
port a sufficient navy to protect its commerce, consequently we 
were preyed upon both by England and France. Their cruisers 
captured a considerable portion of our commercial marine, par- 
ticularly in the West India trade, and by these acts ruined 
many unfortunate merchants and seafaring men, without their 
being able to obtain redress of their adversaries or protection 



SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE. 29 

from our own Government. For example, one of my father's 
vessels, a large schooner called the " Laura," took a cargo from 
Connecticut to Martinique, where it was sold, and reinvested in 
sugar and coffee. On her return passage, a few days after leav- 
ing port, she was captured by a British cruiser, carried into 
Montserrat, and there both vessel and cargo were condemned, 
because she had been trading at a French island. Not long 
after this unjust act, another vessel of his, called the " Two 
Friends," was taken by the French, carried into St. Martins, 
and there condemned, for no other reason but that she had been 
trading at an English island. These captures are fair illustra- 
tions of the treatment our country received from both England 
and France in our national infancy. These losses soon stripped 
my poor father of his little fortune, and threw those dependent 
on him almost penniless upon the world, to gain their bread the 
best way they could. His family consisted of six sons and one 
daughter, myself being the third son. 

Although very young at this time, I severely felt my father's 
misfortunes, and mentally resolved to gain the consent of my 
parents to launch out upon the wide world, and strive to gain 
an honest living, and by so doing, leave, one less for them to 
support. I had always had a fondness for the sea, and an irresist- 
ible desire to follow the early profession of my honored sire. 
I was born in the year 1784, within pistol-shot of Long Island 
Sound, and literally cradled on its waves. For when a mere boy, 
I used to bathe in the salt water and swim upon its little billows ; 
and when old enough to carry a message from the quarter-deck 
to the forecastle, commenced a sea life. Being thus by unavoid- 
able circumstances deprived of the advantages of a school edu- 
cation, I was compelled to gain instruction by reading such 
books as I could procure, and by industry and perseverance 
educate myself. Always having a fondness for books, reading 
has ever been one of my greatest resources, particularly on long 
sea-voyages to distant countries. 

It has been erroneously stated by many seafaring men, that 
sailors who do their duty have little or no time to read on ship- 
board. This assertion I emphatically deny. On long voyages 
particularly, both officers and seamen have a great many leisure 



30 SKETCH OF THE ATJTHOIt's LIFE. 

hours during the long days and nights passed upon the mighty 
deep. I aver that a great proportion of their idle time may be 
very profitably employed in reading on almost every subject, 
and that their advantages for cultivating the mind are much 
greater than those of merchants or mechanics on shore. As a 
general principle, if shipmasters are not intelligent and well- 
inpformed men on most subjects, it is their own fault for not im- 
proving their precious privileges. In the first place, what can 
exalt and elevate the human mind more than the boundless 
ocean, and where can be found a scene better adapted to deep 
thought and silent contemplation, than to view the heavenly 
bodies silently revolving in their trackless orbits ? To measure 
their distances, and watch their rising and setting, are continual 
sources of never-failing enjoyment. Yes, it is in scenes like 
these that one feels and fully realizes the power of the unseen 
hand that sets the universe in motion, and assures poor fallen 
man that his soul is immortal. 

I have navigated the ocean, from first to last, for a period of 
nearly sixty years, and have come to the conclusion, that though 
a seaman's life is one of hardship and privation, and often beset 
with extreme danger, still there is much to alleviate and recom- 
pense him for his personal sufferings. To surmount and triumph 
over accumulated difficulties is always a gratifying pleasure to 
a persevering mind. In short, it is a bold, daring life, perhaps 
more perilous than any pursuit confined to terra firma, — still 
the very excitement of danger brings its own reward. A mari- 
time life also affords an opportunity for visiting different coun- 
tries, and viewing mankind in its various phases and gradations, 
between the savage and the most civilized and refined state of 
society. 

In taking leave of the subject, I can truly say that I feel no 
regret for having chosen this profession rather than any sta- 
tionary one on shore ; and were it possible for me to lead my 
life over again, I should choose the course I have followed, sup- 
plicating, however, the privilege of correcting many errors, and 
omissions of doing good through the journey of life. 



CHAPTER I. 

FIRST FOREIGN VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE, FROM NEW 
YORK TO CADIZ AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEARS 1799 AND 1800. 

At this period, Captain Henry Turner, of Milford, com- 
manded a new schooner called the Charlotte. She was built in 
Milford, and was then lying in New York, taking in a cargo of 
flour and tobacco for Cadiz. Captain T. was my uncle by mar- 
riage, having married my mother's sister, and was also a friend 
of our family. Thus at the early age of fifteen I bade adieu to 
my paternal home, with all its tender endearments, to join this 
schooner as cabin boy, on a voyage to Cadiz. I will not attempt 
to describe the painful scene of leaving home for a foreign 
country, as no language is competent to the task. I will there- 
fore leave for all those who have feeling hearts to imagine the 
parting scene of leaving father, mother, sister and brothers, for 
the first time, and perhaps for ever. 

A few days before sailing, the melancholy news of General 
Washington's death reached New York, I believe two days after 
it occurred, which was on the 15th of December, 1799. A 
grand procession was formed, which marched to Trinity Church 
to hear a funeral oration delivered in honor of the Father of his 
Country. The streets were crowded with all classes of citizens ; 
it was indeed a solemn and touching sight ; the whole nation 
was literally in tears, and every individual seemed to feel as 
though he had lost a father. Myself, with scores of other boys, 
walked alongside of the cortege. This imposing scene made 
such a deep impression on my mind that it will never be 
eradicated. Being ready for sea, we left New York on the 22d 
of the same month, passed Sandy Hook a few hours after, and 



32 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE. 

as this was my first voyage on the deep blue ocean, I was 
excessively sea-sick for two or three days. Young seamen and 
cabin boys who are sea-sick, find very little sympathy or for- 
bearance on such occasions, consequently I was forced to brave 
it out the best way I could. The captain and officers were 
generally kind to me, but as the cook Was not very efficient, 
there was no idle bread for me to eat. Our crew was composed 
of the captain, mate, six seamen, with the cook, and myself. 
We generally had favorable winds, and made good progress on 
our passage. Nothing occurred worthy of remark until we 
drew near the land. I recollect my desire to see the Old "World 
was so great that I got very little sleep during the last night of 
our passage, as the captain said we should see the land at 
daylight. Thus, at early dawn on the 16th of January, in 
the year 1800, 1 first saw the shore of Europe. We made 
the land about Cape St. Mary's, and arrived on the same 
evening at Cadiz, after a passage of twenty -five days. We 
carried the first news to Spain of Washington's death, which 
event produced a melancholy sensation, not only in the 
hearts of all the Americans, but throughout Cadiz. There 
were, at this time, ten or twelve American vessels lying in 
this port, and among them a large letter-of-marque ship be- 
longing to Salem, Mass. The day after our arrival, every 
vessel in port wore her flag at half mast ; the Salem ship 
fired minute guns at the rising of the sun, and at its setting. 
There was a general mourning for " the father of his country," 
which was not confined to the Americans ; on the contrary, 
the whole city of Cadiz knew that a great benefactor to man- 
kind had left the world. 

Cadiz is a walled city, strongly fortified, and one of the 
most cleanly towns in Europe. At this period, it was in a 
flourishing condition, enjoying almost the entire trade of 
South America, and a considerable portion of the general 
commerce of the maritime world. I will here insert a pain- 
ful incident to show the uncertainty of human life. On a 
fine night, soon after our arrival, while the vessel was riding 
quietly at anchor, a very melancholy accident occurred, 
which I shall never forget. A young man, by the name of 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE. 33 

Sealey, belonging to Connecticut, had the anchor- watch, from 
ten o'clock till midnight. At half-past eleven, the mate 
went on deck and found no one on the watch. Looking 
around, he found the pea-jacket of the young man lying on 
the deck, with his watch on the jacket; Sealey was gone, 
and was never again seen or heard of. He bore an excellent 
character, and was a general favorite. It was supposed he 
accidentally slipped overboard, and sunk to rise no more. 

This being my first foreign voyage, every thing in the Old 
World was astonishing, and almost bewildering, to my young 
imagination. The richer classes of grandees and hidalgos 
arrayed in gold lace cloaks ; the gray and black friars, 
one order with shaved heads, and another with broad brim- 
med hats ; the ladies in black costumes, the military parades, 
the numerous beggars, all formed a heterogeneous mass, so 
new and strange to a young American, that the whole scene 
was wonderful, and intensely interesting. One religious 
practice in Cadiz, and universal throughout Spain at that 
period, impressed me with peculiar force. At a certain hour 
towards evening a bell was struck, which was the signal for 
vespers. In an instant every voice was hushed, every oc- 
cupation stopped, and every citizen, either kneeling or as- 
suming an attitude of devotion, repeated his prayers for a 
few minutes, crossed himself, and then continued his former 
employment. The ladies and gentlemen engaged in pleas- 
urable conversation in the drawing-room, the military per- 
forming their evolutions on the public square, the laborers at 
their usual toil — in fine, every person, whether talking, read- 
ing, walking, or riding, would suspend his occupation to 
perform this religious duty. So strong is the force of this 
habit, that I once heard of two Spaniards, who were fighting 
with knives, as is the custom among the lower order, on hear- 
ing the vesper bell, suspended the quarrel long enough to 
say their prayers, and then resumed their fight to settle it in the 
usual way. It was to me a fine thought, that high and low, rich 
and poor — in short, that a whole nation, at the same moment of 
time, should lift their hearts to God, and bless Him who had 
preserved them through another day on the journey of life. 
3 



34 FIE8T VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHAELOTTE. 

After noticing this universal custom, which was so cajDtivat- 
ing to my young imagination, I will relate an instance of the 
credulous superstition of the masses, and the wicked imposition 
of the clergy. 

As I was walking one day through one of the principal 
streets of Cadiz, I saw a close wagon filled with paper indul- 
gences for all sorts of sins, and also licenses — I suppose for 
eating meat on fast days. The scale or price was regulated 
from heinous crimes down to slight peccadilloes. This wagon 
was drawn by two horses richly decked out with bright rib- 
bons and small bells. It proceeded slowly from street to 
street, and was a fantastic display to attract the attention of 
the multitude. Hundreds of persons surrounded the vehicle, 
and with avidity purchased indulgences suited to their" re- 
spective sins and desires. The most absurd and ludicrous 
part of this imposition, and the crowning point of the whole 
was, that the people's money, obtained by these sales, was 
said by the priests to be employed in carrying on the crusade 
wars against the infidels and others opposed to the Roman 
Catholic religion. If such were the impositions made upon the 
people only fifty-seven years ago in Catholic countries, I re- 
spectfully ask my readers to imagine what must have been the 
extortions of the Roman Church a century or two previous to 
that date. 

Cadiz is too well known to require a particular description 
from me. I will therefore, en passant, only make a few remarks 
on its local advantages, etc. It lies in latitude 36° 31' 1ST., lon- 
gitude 6° 18' W. ; sixty- three miles south of Seville, sixty north- 
west of Gibraltar, and contains about sixty thousand inhabitants. 
It is located on low, sandy land, washed on three sides by the 
ocean and its own beautiful bay, which is a broad and noble 
expanse of water, several miles in extent. Its north-eastern 
shore is studded with several considerable towns and villages, 
viz. Palos, Rota, Porta Santa Maria, Isla, and others of less 
importance. In and around these places are beautifully culti- 
vated gardens, with orange and lemon trees, filled with their 
luscious fruit almost the entire year. These extensive gardens 
also produce excellent grapes, pears, apples, and a great variety 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE. 35 

of other delicious fruits, which are abundant and cheap. The 
face of the country on the north and east shores of the bay is of 
a moderate height, and may be termed undulating, but after ad- 
vancing several leagues into the interior, the country becomes 
mountainous, interspersed with deep dells and winding valleys, 
which constitute a beautiful variety of scenery. 

The ships and vessels all anchor in the bay near the city of 
Cadiz. Their cargoes are discharged into lighters, landed on a 
large mole or quay, and then passed through the gates into the 
city. After our cargo was discharged, we took on board an- 
other of wine and brandy, and having remained here thirty-five 
days, sailed for home. We took the southern route, had a pleas- 
ant passage of thirty days, and arrived at ISTew York on the 20th 
March, 1S00. As there was less competition in those days, our 
wine and brandy sold at high prices, so that we made a very 
successful voyage. The cargo being discharged, and the crew 
paid off, the vessel was taken to Brooklyn and laid up ; her 
owners, Messrs. John and Samuel Jackson, being residents of 
that place. I was appointed to sleep on board to guard and 
watch the schooner. I should have been delighted to visit my 
parents in Connecticut, but thought it more prudent to avoid 
the expense of travelling, and retain my situation as ship-keeper. 
To save my humble earnings for my mother and younger 
brothers, I considered an imperative duty. I frequently re- 
ceived kind and affectionate letters from my father and mother, 
and very welcome ones from my only beloved sister. I learned 
by them that the family were well, except my poor father, 
whose health continued rapidly to decline. 

At the conclusion of this my first foreign voyage, I will take 
occasion to add that Captain Turner was an excellent seaman 
and a most worthy man. He took a fatherly interest in my 
welfare, and great pleasure in giving me good advice and in- 
struction, which I so much needed at this early period of my 
seafaring life. 



CHAPTER II. 

SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE TO SAVANNAH, THENCE 
TO THE MEDITERRANEAN, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEAR 1800. 

On the 20th of May, 1800, the schooner Charlotte was removed 
to New York, where we commenced taking in a general cargo 
on freight for Savannah, under the command of Captain 
Crocker. 

Thus I found myself among entire strangers at the com- 
mencement of a new voyage. The mate's name was Coleman. 
He was a young man belonging to Nantucket, who had been 
brought up in the whaling business, and always accustomed to 
long voyages to distant seas. He had never made one in a mer- 
chant trading vessel, and although a kind-hearted, good fellow, 
seemed to have very little in common with his fellow-men. 
"Whenever a porpoise or a whale came in sight, he was in his 
element, and so delighted and excited that he could scarcely re- 
strain himself, and in ecstasies would cry out " townor." * Our 
captain had for many years commanded a packet brig between 
New York and Savannah, and was a very amiable man, though 
somewhat advanced in years. The crew consisted of six sea- 
men, a black cook, and myself as cabin boy. We sailed from 
New York on the 1st of June, and had a pleasant passage of 
thirteen days to Savannah, without any remarkable occurrence. 
We soon discharged our cargo, and took on board another of 
tobacco and staves. 

Being loaded and nearly ready for sea, one morning at day- 
light, the mate went forward to the forecastle to call all hands, 

* A cant word used among whalemen, " townor," she spouts. 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE. 37 

when behold not a man was to be found. On searching about, 
we found the crew had stolen the boat, and, taking what things 
they could stow away in bags, were off for Charleston, which 
was the last we ever heard of them. 

Seamen being scarce and wages high, we were obliged to 
take such as we could get. Among them was a " Cracker"* 
a tall, lean-looking man, recently from the interior, and who had 
never before seen the salt water. Having shipped our motley 
crew of all colors and various nations, we sailed from Savannah 
on the 28th of June, for Gibraltar. 

About a week or ten days after sailing, one morning at day- 
light, while steering to the eastward with a strong gale from the 
northward, we discovered a sail astern, in full chase, and, as we 
supposed her a French privateer, crowded all sail to make our 
escape. The gale increased ; we took in our foretopsail, reefed 
our lower sails, and hauled close to the wind to the JST. E. The 
chase fore-reached us, but did not hold so good a wind as our 
sharp schooner, so that his shot could not reach us, and he was 
compelled to tack and get again into our wake, while we 
crowded all the sail the schooner could bear, and kept steadily 
on our course, dashing through the spray like a porpoise. At 
sunset she was near enough to reach us with her guns, when we 
set our colors and hove to. My readers may imagine our mu- 
tual disappointment when we found we both wore the Stars and 
Stripes. She proved to be the United States brig Pickering, of 
fourteen guns, Captain Preble. She had taken us for a French 
privateer ; and the lieutenant who boarded us, said that nearly 
every person on board had been wet to the skin during the 
whole chase. After wishing them a successful cruise, we sepa- 
rated with mutual good wishes. 

During our stay at Savannah, our captain and mate were sick 
with the fever and ague, and it sometimes happened on our 
passage to Gibraltar, that neither of them were able to come 
on deck to take an observation of the sun. At these times, I 
officiated to take the sun's altitude, and with a little help from 
the captain or mate was enabled to find the latitude. On our 
passage out, the poor, good-natured fellow from Georgia, fell sick, 

* Term for a backwoodsman in Georgia. 



38 Second voyage in the schooner chaklotte. 

and was soon very much reduced in flesh, with a bad fever-sore 
on his right leg, which rendered him unfit for duty. JSTo inci- 
dent worth noting occurred until we arrived at Gibraltar on the 
27th of July, after a passage of twenty-nine days. Our cargo 
was soon sold and discharged, and the vessel ballasted with 
sand. While lying in this port, we were often annoyed and 
harassed by pressgangs, headed by British naval officers, scru- 
tinizing our protections, and often threatening and ill-treating 
the men. These cruelties may be overlooked and forgiven, but 
will ever be remembered by Americans, and for fear I should 
say too much, I will drop the subject. 

While lying in this port, one morning at daylight we heard 
firing at a distance. The captain being on shore, I took a spy- 
glass, and from aloft could clearly see three gunboats engaged 
with a large ship. It was a fine clear morning, with scarcely 
wind enough to ruffle the glass-like surface of the water. Dur- 
ing the first hour or two of this engagement, the gunboats had 
an immense advantage ; being propelled both by sails and oars, 
they were enabled to choose their own position. While the 
ship lay becalmed and unmanageable, they poured grape and 
canister shot into her stern and bows like hailstones. At this 
time the ship's crew could not bring a single gun to bear upon 
them, and all they could do was to use their small arms through 
the ports and over the rails. Fortunately for the crew, the ship 
had thick and high bulwarks, which protected them from the 
fire of the enemy, so that while they were hid and screened by 
the boarding cloths, they could use their small arms to great 
advantage. At this stage of the action, while the captain with 
his speaking trumpet under his left arm, was endeavoring to 
bring one of his big guns to bear on one of the gunboats, a 
grape-shot passed through the port and trumpet and entered his 
chest near Jthe shoulder-blade. The chief mate carried him 
below, and laid him upon a mattress on the cabin floor. For a 
moment it seemed to dampen the ardor of the men ; but it was 
only for an instant. The chief mate's name was Randall: a 
gallant young man from Nantucket. He then took the command, 
rallied and encouraged the men to continue the action with 
renewed obstinacy and vigor. At this time a lateen-rigged 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE. 39 

vessel, the largest of the three privateers, was preparing to 
make a desperate attempt to board the ship on the larboard 
quarter. Nearly all his men were on the forecastle and long 
bowsprit, and ready to take the final leap. 

In order to meet and frustrate the design of the enemy, the 
mate of the ship had one of the quarter-deck guns loaded with 
grape and canister shot ; he then ordered all the ports on this 
quarter to be shut, so that the gun could not be seen, and thus 
were both parties prepared, when the privateer came boldly up 
within a few yards of the ship's lee-quarter. The captain, with 
a threatening flourish of his sword, cried out with a loud voice 
in broken English, " Strike, you dammer rascal, or I will put 
you all to det." At this moment a diminutive looking man, on 
board the ship, with a musket, took deliberate aim through one 
of the waist ports, and shot him dead. Instantly the gun was 
run out and discharged upon the foe with deadly effect, so that 
the remaining few on board the privateer, amazed and astounded, 
were glad to give up the conflict, and get off the best way they 
could. Soon after this, a breeze sprung up, so that they could 
work their great guns to some purpose. I never shall forget 
the moment when I saw the star-spangled banner blow out and 
wave gracefully in the wind, through the smoke. I also at the 
same moment saw with pleasure the three gunboats, sailing and 
rowing away towards the land to make their escape. When 
the ship drew near the port, all the boats from the American 
shipping voluntarily went to assist in bringing her to anchor. 
She proved to be the letter-of-marque ship Louisa, of Phila- 
delphia. 

I went with our captain on board of her, and Ave there 
learned that, with the exception of the captain, not a man had 
been killed or wounded. The ship was terribly cut up and 
crippled in her sails and rigging — lifts and braces shot away : 
her stern was literally riddled like a grater, and both large and 
small shot, in great numbers, had entered her hull, and were 
sticking to her sides. How the officers and crew escaped un- 
hurt is almost impossible to conceive. The poor captain was 
immediately taken on shore, but only survived his wound a few 
days. He had a public funeral; was followed to the grave by 



40 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK CHARLOTTE. 

all the Americans in Gibraltar, and very many of the officers of 
the garrison and inhabitants of the town. 

The ship had a rich cargo of coffee, sugar, and India goods, 
and was bonnd to Leghorn. The gunboats belonged to Alge- 
ciras, and fought under French colors, but were probably man- 
ned by the debased of all nations. I can form no idea how 
many were killed or wounded on board the gunboats, but from 
the great number of men on board, and from the length of the 
action, there must have been great slaughter ; neither can 1 say 
positively how long the engagement lasted, but should think, at 
least, from three to four hours. To the chief mate, too much 
credit cannot be given, for saving the ship after the captain was 
shot. 

I understood from Captain Crocker that he received the 
amount of his cargo of tobacco and staves in doubloons, with 
which he intended to proceed to Alicant, to purchase a cargo 
of brandy and wine for the New York market, and that he had 
written to a merchant in Alicant, some weeks previous to our 
leaving Gibraltar, to have the wine and brandy ready to take 
on board immediately on our arrival, at a price already agreed 
upon. Accordingly about the middle of August, after lying 
twenty days in Gibraltar, we sailed for Alicant. The poor sick 
man before mentioned grew worse and worse, with little or no 
prospect of recovery. I think our captain made a great mistake 
in not leaving the poor fellow in the hospital at Gibraltar, where 
he would have been better attended, and have suffered less than 
he did in a small, confined forecastle, deprived of medical aid and 
suitable nourishment. On our arrival at Alicant, after a passage 
of ten days, he was a mere skeleton, and very near death. 
When the health-boat came alongside to visit the vessel, and saw 
this man bolstered up on deck, they were afraid to come on 
board, and immediately ordered the captain to proceed to the 
quarantine ground, and have no communication with the shore, 
or with any vessel or boat, without a permit from the health 
officer. The quarantine ground was about a mile to the east- 
ward of the harbor, and about half a mile from the shore. 
Here we lay for more than a month, when the sick man died : 
we were allowed to bury him in the sand just above high-water 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE. 41 

mark. He had no contagions disease, but gradually wasted 
away ; his leg mortified, and the poor fellow's suffering was so 
severe, that it was a relief to see him die. 

We were not allowed to take on board our cargo in the 
ordinary way, from lighters, but as follows : some fifty or sixty 
pipes of brandy and wine were fastened together and towed in 
the water near our vessel, where they were left for our boat to 
tow alongside, and for us to hoist on board and stow them away 
with our small and weak crew ; in this manner we took in all 
our cargo. Whenever we got any fresh provisions or fruit from 
the town, they were sent off in a boat, to a considerable distance 
from the vessel, and then put on board of our boat. They 
appeared to avoid all direct communication with us as though 
we had the plague. In this way Ave received our cargo, and 
paid for it in doubloons without the privilege of landing, and 
during our long stay here, neither the captain nor any other 
person belonging to our vessel ever put foot on shore, except 
when the mate and four seamen were allowed to land on the 
sand-beach, just long enough to bury the dead man, during 
which time they were closely watched by the officers of the 
Government. We were all happy when the day arrived to sail 
once more for our native land, on the first of October. Some 
days after leaving this port, while sailing gently down the 
Mediterranean with a light breeze, we fell in with a small 
lateen-rigged privateer, under French colors, mounting four 
guns, and, I should think manned by about fifty of the worst 
and most ferocious looking fellows I ever saw, all armed with 
pistols and long knives. They boarded us in their own boat, 
and, to our surprise, the captain appeared a mild, gentlemanly 
man. Neither he nor his men would speak to us in English, 
they affected not to understand our language ; but through one 
of the men, who spoke a little broken English, the captain gave 
us to understand that he wanted a pipe of brandy and a pipe 
of wine for stores, and would give our captain an order on the 
owner of his privateer (whom he represented to be a respectable 
merchant residing in Marseilles), for the amount, and that he 
would pay the money at sight of this order. Our captain, being 
greatly agitated, was glad to comply with the request for the 



42 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CHARLOTTE. 

brandy and wine, without for a moment questioning the validity 
of the order. He took the draft, without scanning its contents, 
happy to get clear of such a cut-throat looking set of rascals. 
"We were not quite easy, being somewhat in fear of a second 
visit from this gentlemanly captain, until he was fairly out of 
sight. 

On our way down the Straits we touched at Gibraltar for 
water, stores, &c. Here the captain, being unable to read 
French himself, got his order translated. It proved to be only 
ajeu d' esprit or hoax of this polite sea-robber. "We remained 
but a few days at Gibraltar, only long enough to fill up our 
water and take on board sea-stores, etc., when we sailed for 
2STew York. During the whole of this homeward passage no 
circumstance occurred worth recording 

We arrived at ISTew York in the middle of November, when 
we were all paid off and discharged. I here learned, with 
grief and pain, that my honored father was no more. He died 
about three weeks before our arrival ; his death was a sad 
blow to all his family and friends ; he was a kind, affectionate 
husband, a tender father, and a generous friend. To me it was 
irreparable ; I had lost my stay and guide, the only male friend 
capable of directing my future course. In short, I was cast 
upon the wide world, to make my way without fortune and 
without friends. 

My mother's health at this time was very delicate ; she was 
now bereaved of her husband, with little or no means of sus- 
taining and supporting herself and three young boys, aged 
from three to seven years. 

I returned home to comfort her, and to mingle our tears of 
grief together. My two eldest brothers being absent, I was at 
this time a great solace to my distressed and widowed mother. 
I remained however but a few months at home, before I found 
it absolutely necessary to seek employment. 



CHAPTEK III. 

VOYAGE IN THE BRIG HORATIO, CAPTAIN PRINGLE, FROM MILFORD, CON- 
NECTICUT, TO MARTINIQUE, ST. KITT'S, AND ST. CROIX, AND BACK TO 
NEW HAVEN, IN THE YEARS 1800 AND 1801. 

The brig Horatio belonged to Derby, in Connecticut, but owing 
to the shallowness of water in the river Housatonic, took on 
board the greatest part of her cargo in Milford. She measured 
about 180 tons per register, and was commanded by Captain 
Pringle, an active seaman, and a very capable, good man. The 
chief mate's name was James Beard, a kind, worthy officer, 
somewhat advanced in life, but fully competent to perform 
every duty devolving on him. Our crew consisted of four able 
seamen, about the same number of landsmen and boys, making 
twelve in number, including the captain, mate, and all hands. 
Our cargo under deck was composed of flour, staves, beef, pork, 
and the general produce of the country. On deck we had forty 
live bullocks and eight horses, besides a large number of swine 
and small stock, such as geese, fowls and turkeys. 

We sailed from Milford, bound for Martinique, on the 20th 
of December. We started with a fine northwest breeze, passed 
through Long Island Sound without accident, and took our de- 
parture from Montauk Point the next day. Our passage was 
generally pleasant, and without any incident worth relating. 
In consequence of light winds and occasional calms, we did not 
arrive at St. Pierre, Martinique, until the 15th of January, 1801, 
making the passage in twenty-five days. 

At this place, we sold our deck load of cattle and small 
stock, and a portion of our inboard cargo, and, after remaining 
here three weeks, sailed for St. Kitt's. As 1 have, subsequently 



44 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG- HOEATIO. 

to this voyage, given a general description of this island, its 
different ports, number of inhabitants, etc., I will not weary 
my readers with a repetition of the subject, but beg leave to 
refer them to the voyage in the pilot-boat schooner " Iris," in 
1816. After leaving Martinique, we had light trades, which 
prolonged our passage to three days, when we came to anchor 
at St. Kitt's on the 8th of February. The United IStates had 
recently had a little maritime war with France, and this port 
was the principal rendezvous for our ships of war in the West 
Indies. Here I saw lying at anchor a small squadron of Ameri- 
can men-of-war, under the command of Commodore Truxton. 
These ships had been in the habit of making short cruises among 
the islands to protect American trade and commerce against 
French men-of-war, and numerous privateers belonging to that 
nation. Several months previous to this period, namely, on the 
9th of February, 1799, Commodore Truxton, in the frigate Con- 
stellation, engaged the French frigate l'Insurgente, which he 
captured, after an hour and a half's hard fighting, and sent into 
this port. Several months after this affair, he had a running 
fight with the French frigate La Yengeance, a ship greatly 
superior to his in size, armament and men, and would have 
captured her had not darkness intervened. 

Remarks. — In 1801, our navy consisted of about half a dozen 
frigates and eight or ten sloops-of-war (some of which had been 
purchased from the merchant service), together with a few small 
brigs and schooners, all badly organized and equipped for the 
want of system and practical experience. When I reflect upon 
its comparative insignificance at that period, just struggling into 
existence, with but few friends and many enemies, I think it 
has been well and truly said that our heroic officers and men 
fought themselves and the navy into public favor. What a 
striking contrast does its situation present at this period in 1858 ! 
I find by an official report that we now have seventy-eight 
effective ships and vessels, commencing with line-of-battle ships, 
frigates and formidable war-steamers of great power and force, 
down to smaller armed vessels suitable to penetrate rivers and 
shallow ports. We now behold the navy protecting our wide- 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG HOKATIO. 45 

spread commerce on every sea, and triumphantly bearing its 
country's flag to every part of the habitable globe. "We wit- 
ness its captains and officers honored and respected at home and 
abroad. 

In reviewing the subject, I feel that it should warm the heart 
of every American throughout the entire length and breadth of 
our extensive empire. Yes, it is enough to awaken an honest 
pride in the bosom of every man, woman and child in the 
United States, to cherish, sustain, and augment this strong arm 
of our glorious republic. 

Although no well-judging American patriot would wish to 
see our navy at this period of our national existence increased in 
numbers, like the navies of England or France, still I think it 
should be gradually augmented, and that the ships hereafter 
constructed should equal or exceed those of the same class be- 
longing to any other nation. I hope strict discipline and vigi- 
lance will be maintained, and every improvement in gunnery 
carefully studied, so that when the time shall arrive to meet the 
foe, the stars and stripes will wave victoriously over every 
portion of the mighty deep. Let our national motto be, " To 
ask nothing from other nations that is not strictly right, and 
submit to nothing palpably wrong," and thus by pursuing a 
brave and straightforward course, our navy and the whole 
country at large will be respected by all the civilized nations of 
the earth. I also hope and trust that in case of a war with any 
of the large maritime powers of Europe, the Government of the 
United States will foster and encourage private armed ships and 
vessels, particularly at the commencement of hostilities, so that 
they may be ready to pounce upon and annoy the enemy ; for 
it should be remembered that privateers are valuable auxiliaries 
to the navy, and are in fact to it, what the militia and volunteer 
corps are to the United States army. I hope the people of this 
country will not forget that in our late war with England, our 
little navy, with the assistance of letters-of-marque and priva- 
teers, captured more than two thousand British men-of-war and 
merchant vessels, and were, under God, the great cause of 
bringing about a speedy and honorable peace. 



46 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG HOKATIO. 

After this little episode, I will resume the narrative of the 
voyage. At St. Kitt's, we sold a portion of our cargo, took in 
some twenty or thirty puncheons of rum and sugar, and having 
staid here about a week, sailed for St. Croix, to dispose of the 
remainder, which we succeeded in doing to advantage, and 
received a return cargo of sugar, rum, and molasses. "We sailed 
for the United States on the 15th of February, and arrived at 
New Haven, Conn., early in March, where the crew was paid 
off and discharged, and the brig laid up. 



CHAPTER IV. 

VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THOMAS, WITH CAPTAIN HENRY TURNER, 
FROM MILFORD, CONNECTICUT, TO BERBICE AND THE WEST INDIA 
ISLANDS, AND BACK TO MILFORD, IN THE YEARS 1802 AND 1803. 

In the early part of my sea life, I made several voyages from 
Milford and New Haven, in Connecticut, to the "West India 
Islands, in a miserable class of small brigs and schooners. 
These vessels were employed in exchanging the produce of 
the soil of Connecticut for the produce of the Caribbean Isl- 
ands ; namely, for rum, sugar, molasses, coffee, and the indigen- 
ous fruits of these islands, such as oranges, limes, tamarinds, co- 
coanuts, etc. These vessels carried the produce of New Eng- 
land under deck, and live cattle, such as horses, oxen, sheep, 
pigs, and poultry on deck, and were, in familiar terms, called 
horse-jockeys. Though the reader may find nothing very strik- 
ing or interesting in these voyages, still I have decided to nar- 
rate a few of them to serve as specimens of our commerce to 
these islands, and to exhibit the inefficiency of the ships and 
vessels in common use at that period of our commercial history, 
that the present generation may be able to contrast our then 
infant commerce, and the inefficiency of our merchant marine, 
with the rapid strides it has since made in wealth and impor- 
tance, during the last half century. I have said that the brigs 
and schooners in common use in Connecticut at that period, 
were miserably constructed, and very badly adapted to com- 
mercial purposes. In New- York, and some other cities of the 
Union, they were a little better, but still small and very ineffi- 
cient ; and not one in fifty of them was coppered ; so that on 
long voyages they would become covered with barnacles and 



48 voyage est the schooner thomas. 

sea-grass, which impeded their speed at least one-third. For 
example, a ship with a clean copper bottom, which conld with 
ease sail nine miles the hour, with a foul wooden one could not 
be driven over six, consequently their passages from the East 
Indies would be one-third longer. A ship in those days, of 300 
or 400 tons burden, was considered enormously large, and 
when advertised for sale, freight, or charter, was represented as 
a very capacious ship, coppered and copper fastened, and well 
found in rigging, sails, etc. 

Methinks I hear some of the seamen of the present day 
inquire, how men could be found to go to sea in such miserable 
craft ? I answer, they must either go in them or stay on shore, 
for these were the vessels in general use at that period. 

I hardly need remind any one at this time that our sailing 
ships are floating palaces, measure from 1000 to 3000 tons, and 
frequently cost from 100,000 to 150,000 dollars. Such, then, is 
the improvement in the merchant marine service during the 
last fifty years, and it is hardly less striking in our ships of 
war. Other nations, also, have made great progress in naval 
science ; look, for example, at the engravings of Lord Nelson's 
fleet as represented at the battle of Trafalgar ; what ungainly, 
clumsy-looking floating batteries were then in service, with 
their bowsprits standing almost perpendicular. How it would 
offend the eye of one of our naval ofiicers at the present day, to 
gaze upon one of these obsolete ships of a bygone age. Perhaps 
there is no branch of art or science that has made such rapid 
progress as naval architecture, and the management of shij)s. 

With these preliminaries, I will proceed to copy from my 
journal, a voyage in the schooner Thomas, to Berbice, Guiana, 
with Captain Henry Turner, commenced in December. The 
Thomas was an old vessel, of 80 tons burden, badly built, and 
badly equipped, and were she in existence at this time (1858), a 
crew could not be obtained for her in the United States. Our 
crew consisted of the captain aforesaid, Mr. John Mallet (an 
old man), mate, with two seamen, two landsmen, and ■ a cook. 
This comprised the whole, being seven in number. Mr. Ste- 
phen Trowbridge, a native of Milforcl, was one of the seamen, 
and myself the other. He was in truth a good sailor, and a 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THOMAS. 49 

worthy, honest man, and later in life made many voyages with 
me to various parts of the world, as my chief mate. It is with 
sincere pleasure that I now call to mind his efficient and honest 
fidelity, in many trying scenes through which we were destined 
to pass in our various wanderings, for a period of more than 
five years. 

"We took on board the usual cargo under deck, namely, 
beef, pork, hams, some flour, butter, cheese, etc. On deck, 
we had twenty-four low-priced horses, sundry sheep and 
pigs, and were provided with the usual quantity of grain, hay, 
etc., to supply the animals with food. Thus manned and equip- 
ped, we sailed from Milford on the morning of the 10th of 
December, for Berbice. It was a very cold day, and there was a 
great deal of field and floating ice in the Sound ; but the wind 
being favorable and strong from the N\ W., we made fair pro- 
gress on our course towards Montauk Point, but as the schooner 
was at best a slow sailer, we did not get down to Fisher's Island 
until near midnight. When we approached it, our captain was 
deceived in the appearance of the land ; in fact it was difficult to 
discriminate it from the water, there being so much floating ice 
covered over with snow, that it was almost impossible to find 
the true channel or passage, called The Race, leading to Mon- 
tauk Point. We however steered boldly on, and soon found 
ourselves on the rocks, but a short distance from Fisher's Island. 
Here we lay thumping for about an hour, expecting every 
moment to go to pieces : some of the sheathing was knocked off 
the schooner's bottom, and came floating up alongside. She 
soon began to leak badly, and thump so severely, that we could 
scarcely stand on our feet. In this trying dilemma we got out 
the boat (the only one we had), to save our lives by landing on 
the island ; but it fortunately happened that we ran on at 
young flood, so that when the tide rose, she drifted off the rocks. 
We then steered for New London, but as the wind was blow- 
ing strong from the 1ST. K W., we could not fetch into that port, 
and being able to keep the schooner free with one pump, our cap- 
tain ordered the helm to be put up and the sails filled for sea. It 
would be difficult to describe our perilous situation while thump- 
ing on these black rocks, some of which were above water, the 
4 



50 VOYAGE IN" THE SCHOONER THOMAS. 

weather intensely cold, the cattle restless and frightened, so 
that we could with difficulty keep them from falling down 
at every surge or roll the schooner made. I expected every 
moment she would bilge and go to pieces, and ardently wished 
myself on the island, and would gladly have resigned every 
thing I had on board, and all that I expected to make by the 
voyage, to have been placed once more upon Terra Firma. 

After passing Fisher's Island, the wind increased to a strong 
gale from the N. "W., and we continued to scud before it to the 
S. E. for a period of three days. During the whole of this vio- 
lent gale, one pump was constantly employed, and sometimes 
both, to keep her free. "We had a quantity of loose oats stowed 
in the run, under the cabin floor ; at " times the pumps would 
choke with them, so that we were obliged to bail the water out 
of the run with buckets. During the whole of this furious gale, 
which lasted three days, the schooner was steered by Trow- 
bridge and myself alternately, four hours and four hours, while 
the mate and the remainder of the crew were employed at the 
pumps and taking care of the horses. There was little or noth- 
ing to do with trimming or shifting the sails ; we constantly 
scudded under a reefed fore-topsail and a double reefed foresail, 
and all we could do was to steer directly before the wind and 
sea> let the gale expend its fury, and thus waft us onward to a 
milder climate. The sea was lashed into a white foam, and our 
little bark forced along like a sea-bird that flies with the raging 
tempest. After passing the Gulf Stream and getting into fine 
weather, our horses were in a miserable condition, and scarcely 
able to stand. 

Nothing occurred worthy of remark until the 24th of De 
cember, fourteen days out, when in the act of letting a reef out 
of the mainsail on a fine morning, one of the landsmen slipped 
overboard from the lee-quarter. At this time the schooner was 
going at the rate of only one or two miles the hour. All hands 
being on deck, the boat was immediately thrown from the 
forecastle into the water, and Trowbridge and myself instantly 
jumped into it with two oars in pursuit of him ; he was then 
about one hundred yards astern of the schooner. In the hurry, 
the plug-hole in the bottom of the boat was left open, and no 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THOMAS. 51 

plug to be found. The water was rushing in with great vio- 
lence ; my friend T. thrust his thumb into the hole, while I 
snatched off my neck-handkerchief and stopped it. This de- 
tained us a minute or two, but we soon pulled up to the man, 
when my friend T. had just time to save him by the hair of 
his head ; he was fast sinking, and would in another moment 
have been drowned. We soon pulled him into the boat, and 
took him on board. He was a stout young farmer, about nine- 
teen years old, from some small interior town in Connecticut, 
and this was his first voyage from home. He soon recovered, 
and when asked what were his feelings at the time he was sink- 
ing, said he thought he was dying, and that all the sins he had 
ever committed rushed into his mind ; and the thought of hav- 
ing left home without the consent of his mother, was to him 
perfect torture. He was a humble man, and seemed to have no 
idea that the boat would be got out for him, and during the 
whole voyage appeared to be very grateful to all on board for 
so kindly saving him from a watery grave. I had twice before 
this accident assisted in rescuing men from drowning, and asked 
them the same question respecting their thoughts, when thus 
struggling for life. Their answers have been uniformly the 
same in substance ; namely, that in a single moment all their 
evil deeds rushed like lightning into their minds, and it appear- 
ed as if the transactions of a whole life were condensed in a 
moment of time. 

"We made but slow progress on our passage, and had fre- 
quent calms and very light breezes, so that we were obliged to 
put the cattle on a short allowance of water. We lost ten of 
our horses during the voyage, and when we arrived at Berbice 
the remaining fourteen were reduced almost to skeletons, and 
could scarcely stand. We landed the poor animals, and the 
captain disposed of them for what he could get, which I believe 
was very little. We were fifty-five days making the passage, 
which was long and tedious, and when we arrived, were all 
nearly worn out with labor at the pumps and other severe 
duties. The captain retailed the cargo to the planters residing 
on the banks of the Berbice river, and frequently sold articles 
to be delivered at their plantations, some ten or fifteen miles 



52 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THOMAS. 

from the river's mouth. The articles sold to the planters were 
delivered to them in our own boat, so that we frequently had 
to row up the river a distance of from ten to fifteen miles, un- 
protected against the hot rays of the sun by day, and the un- 
healthy dews of evening. "What would the seamen of the 
present day say, if they had to perform such severe duty? 
Yet this is only a small specimen of what I endured for many 
years, when trading to the West India Islands. We disposed 
of our cargo in detail, and received coffee in payment, all of 
which we put into tight puncheons to keep it dry. After we 
had landed all our cargo, we hauled the schooner on shore with 
the intention, if possible, of stopping the leaks. When we came 
to examine the ends of the planks under the counter we found 
the wood so rotten, that it was almost impossible to hold oakum ; 
we however, calked all the bad places the best way we could, 
took on board our coffee and got ready for sea. The coast near 
the river Berbice, and for many miles along its banks, is ex- 
tremely low and flat, not unlike the land about the mouth of 
the Mississippi. At this period Berbice was a colony of Eng- 
land ; coffee was its staple production along the banks of the 
river, though I believe there were also a few sugar estates. 

The general appearance of the country is flat, and where the 
land is not cleared up for plantations, has a wild, savage aspect. 
The forest trees are large, the under-growth is full and luxuriant, 
and abounds with a great variety of wild animals and small 
game for sportsmen. When we were there it was healthy, but 
I should judge it must be sickly at certain seasons of the year, 
like other places in low latitudes, where the land is rich, vege- 
tation rank and luxuriant, and the weather naturally hot and 
sultry. 

The little settlement at the mouth of the Berbice river, 
lies in latitude 6° 23' K, longitude 57° 11' W. of London. 
We left this port on the first of March, bound for the leeward 
West India Islands, in pursuit of a freight for the United States. 
We ran down to the Island of Tobago, and sent the boat on 
shore for information. We found no freight here, and soon 
made sail for Nevis and St. Kitt's, where we had no better suc- 
cess. On our departure from Tobago we ran under the lee of 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THOMAS. 53 

the Island of Grenada, and passed near a great number of small 
islands, called the Granadillos. Some were of considerable size, 
while others appeared not much larger than the hull of a 
seventy-four gun ship. They are high and very picturesque. 

Near them we sailed over what is called the Grenadilla 
Bank, which is of considerable extent. It being in the morning, 
with very little wind, we had a delightful sail, and although the 
depth of the water is from ten to twenty fathoms, it is so pure and 
transparent that every object on the bottom is clearly seen. 
Coral reefs, rocks and white sand-banks, besides a great variety 
of fish sporting^ in undisturbed felicity, render it extremely in- 
teresting for several miles. 

Having filled up our water, procured sea stores and a quan- 
tity of fruit at St. Kitt's, we again sailed for the United States. 
"We ran down among the Leeward Islands, passed through Sail 
Rock Passage, and returned home to Milford on the 10th of 
April, 1803, thus completing this disagreeable voyage in just 
four months. 

If our captain had not been an excellent seaman and a very 
persevering, resolute man, we never could have successfully 
accomplished this perilous voyage in such a rotten, old craft. 
She leaked like a sieve in every part, and the only way we had 
to keep our coffee dry, was to put it into tight puncheons. 



CHAPTER V. 

VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THERESA, WITH CAPTAIN ADAM POND, FROM 
MILFORD, CONNECTICUT, TO TERCEIRA, AND FROM THENCE TO NEW 
YORK, IN THE YEAR 1804. 

I had recently returned from a voyage to Teneriffe, Madeira, 
and Terceira, in the schooner Rover. From the last-named 
place we brought a cargo of oranges and lemons to ISTew York, 
and from the information which I communicated to the owner 
of the Theresa, he decided to dispatch her forthwith for a cargo 
of fruit for the New York market. The Theresa was a new 
schooner of 80 tons burden, a fast sailer, and in every respect a 
fine little vessel ; she was commanded by a son of the owner, a 
young man about twenty-two years of age : the crew comprised 
the captain, myself mate, four seamen, and a cook. To enable 
the captain to purchase a cargo of oranges and lemons, the 
owners supplied him with a small cargo of pine boards, scant- 
ling, whale oil, nankeens, beeswax, and sundry other articles, 
the whole invoice of which amounted to eight hundred dollars. 
After getting ready for sea, we sailed from Milford on the 10th 
of February. We passed through Long Island Sound and took 
our departure from Montauk Point with a strong gale from the 
westward, with clear, cold weather, and as usual at this season 
of the year, we had a continuation of 1ST. "W. and ~W. iN". "W. 
winds during the whole passage. On the 25th of the same 
month, we came to anchor in Angra Bay, at the island of Ter- 
ceira, fifteen days after leaving Milford. 

Our captain soon disposed of our little cargo at good prices, 
and in five days after our arrival we were ready to receive our 
fruit ; but as it was necessary to pick it from the trees some 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THEEESA. 55 

miles in the country, it occupied some eight or ten days to bring 
it to town and pack it in boxes before putting it on board. The 
whole consisted of twelve hundred boxes of oranges and lemons, 
and cost one dollar each. After paying for our cargo of fruit, 
together with the expenses of shipping it, port charges, etc., we 
had a considerable sum to receive in silver, and as there was no 
other current money but pistareens, we received the balance 
due us in this old-fashioned silver coin. 

Before leaving, I will make some general remarks on 
this island, and also on the whole group, which are called the 
Azores or Western Islands. They are nine in number, and 
named as follows: Terceira, St. Michael, Fayal, St. Mary's, 
Pico, St. George, Graciosa, Corvo, and Flores ; they all belong 
to Portugal, and are about 800 miles distant from that 
country. The southernmost of the group, St. Mary's, lies 
in lat. 36° 59', and the northernmost, Corvo, in lat. 39° 44/ 
N". ; all the others are between these extremes, and their mean 
longitude is about 28° 0' W. The climate of these islands is 
generally mild and healthy, though subject to severe gales in 
the winter season ; they are also at times visited by destructive 
earthquakes ; but with all these drawbacks would become vastly 
more important to the world if blessed with good harbors ; there 
is not a safe one in the whole Archipelago. Fayal has a tolera- 
ble port, and the harbor on this island I will attempt to describe 
after I have concluded my remarks. St. Michael's is the 
largest, and Pico the most elevated ; the peak of this island is 
seven thousand feet above the level of the sea, and may be seen 
on a clear day some sixty or seventy miles off, rising like a 
sugar-loaf above the surface of the water. The principal exports 
of these islands are wine and fruit, the greatest part of which is 
consumed in England, though a portion of the wine is shipped 
to Madeira* and to Brazil. The entire population of these 
islands is said to be about two hundred and fifty thousand, 
and as they have but little intercourse with other nations, 
are of course extremely ignorant, very superstitious, intolerant, 
and bigoted to the Roman Catholic religion ; they conse- 

* The wine shipped from these islands to Madeira, is there so mixed and refined as 
to give it a new character, and from thence is exported as Madeira wine. 



56 VOYAGE IN" THE SCHOONER THEKESA. 

quently remain from age to age with, but little progress or im- 
provement of any kind. Terceira is the capital or seat of gov- 
ernment for these islands ; here the Governor-General resides, 
and to him they all appeal for ultimate justice. 

It is about thirty miles long, twenty broad, and lies in lat. 
38° 39' JST., longitude 27° 13' W. of London. The port of 
Angra is rather a pleasant little bay, pretty well sheltered from 
west and northwest winds, but when it blows from the north- 
east and east, or round to the southeast, it soon raises a high 
sea, and renders it a rough and dangerous port. The town of 
Angra is situated on a hill rising gradually from the sea, and 
contains about 12,000 inhabitants. The streets are broad and 
regular, the houses generally three stories high and constructed 
of stone, and though well built, have rather a gloomy aspect. 
There are many churches and convents ; some of the former are 
large, and rather handsome. From the convents we purchased 
artificial flowers, preserved fruits, and other little curiosities, and 
found their inmates polite and friendly. 

Fresh provisions, wild game, goats, poultry, eggs and fruit 
are abundant and cheap, particularly oranges and lemons. 
While here I observed a primitive custom, which struck me as 
well worthy of imitation by villages and small towns in our own 
country. It is a general custom for the peasants to drive into 
town a large herd of milch goats, stop at every house, and sup- 
ply each family with whatever quantity of milk they may re- 
quire. In this way the inhabitants get it fresh and pure. 

This island, in many respects, is a convenient stopping-place 
to procure supplies of water, fresh provisions, fruit, etc., etc. I 
regret that my stay here was too short for me to get acquainted 
with the moral and social condition of the people, but from what 
I saw, I should think them simple-hearted and kind, though 
very ignorant and superstitious. They have so little intercourse 
with visitors or strangers from abroad, that they cannot be ex- 
pected to know much of what is going on in the world ; still, 
from all I could learn, they are extremely attached to their own 
island, and rarely emigrate to foreign lands. On our arrival, 
we found lying here a brig belonging to, and bound for New 
York. She was from Liverpool, ballasted with coal, had been 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER THERESA. 57 

as far west as the Banks of Newfoundland, and having lost her 
sails and several spars, bore away for this port leaking badly. 
On her arrival, the captain found it impossible to procure sails, 
spars, rigging, and other necessary supplies at this place. She 
was consequently condemned and sold at public auction. The 
captain, James Kennedy, his mate and crew, together with two 
of his cabin passengers, went with us to New York. After get- 
ting all necessary stores on board, we sailed from Terceira on 
the 10th of April. "We had a rough and unpleasant passage of 
twenty-three days ; it was rendered disagreeable from the fact 
of having so many persons crowded together in so small a cabin. 
We, however, completed the whole voyage out and home in 
eighty-two days, and made a good one, considering the size of 
the schooner and the amount of capital employed. 



CHAPTER VI. 

VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER BETSEY AND POLLY, WITH CAPTAIN CALEB 
A. TOWNSEND, FROM NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, TO BARBADOES, ST. 
LUCIE AND ST. MARTIN'S, AND BACK TO NEW HAVEN, IN 1804. 

It was in the month of June that I joined the schooner Betsey 
and Polly, under the command of Captain Caleb A. Townsend. 
She was then lying at ISTew Haven, Connecticut, nearly loaded, 
for the West Indies. The vessel was about 150 tons burden, and 
owned by Messrs. Gillet & Townsend, merchants, at this place. 
Our crew was nine in number, viz., the captain, chief mate, 
second mate, cook and five seamen. Mr. Edward Brown, of 
Milford, was chief, and myself second mate. 

Our cargo under deck was composed of corn-meal, flour, beef, 
pork, butter, cheese, hams, etc., etc. On deck we had forty-four 
oxen, besides many sheep, pigs and a great variety of poultry, 
with the usual quantity of hay, corn, oats, etc., etc. Thus loaded 
and lumbered up, on deck and below, we sailed from New Haven 
on the 20th of June, bound for Barbadoes and a market. That 
night we got down near Fisher's Island. The passage near this 
island leading out to sea, is called The Race, probably because 
the tides in this vicinity are so extremely rapid. At midnight 
it became very dark, and the wind light ; and, for fear of being 
driven on shore, we let go our bower anchor, which brought up 
the schooner in ten fathoms of water, in mid channel, and at 
the full strength of the ebb tide. 

"When the weather cleared up a little, we found ourselves in 
a good position, with a fair wind, and a favorable tide ; but 
how to weigh the anchor was the question ; for in bringing up, 
one of the windlass bits was carried away, and to heave it up 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER BETSEY AND POLLY. 59 

with our broken windlass was impossible. We were therefore 
compelled to cut the cable, and make sail with the loss of our 
best bower, and about twenty fathoms of rope cable. After this 
incident, nothing worth noticing occurred for three weeks. We 
generally had light, baffling winds and fine weather, so that we 
did not pass the Island of Bermuda until we had been twenty- 
two days at sea. 

One fine morning, when in the latitude of Bermuda, and 
about twenty leagues to the eastward of it, we fell in with an 
English homeward-bound fleet from Barbadoes, but last from 
the Island of St. Thomas. This fleet consisted of about one hun- 
dred and fifty sail of merchantmen, under convoy of the Blen- 
heim 74, a frigate, and two or three sloops-of-war. The flag- 
ship brought us to, and purchased from our captain twenty-two 
head of cattle, at $75 each, and nearly all our small stock of 
hogs, sheep, geese, turkeys, fowls, etc., etc. In these stock- 
vessels, the mates and seamen were allowed (freight free) to take 
for their private adventure from one to three coops of ducks and 
fowls, with the privilege of several barrels under deck. After 
our captain had agreed with the purser of the Blenheim upon 
the price of the cattle and all the other articles, with a portion 
of hay, grain, etc., etc., to save time, or rather not to lose theirs, 
the Blenheim took our schooner in tow, for the purpose of trans- 
porting the articles purchased from the schooner to the flag-ship. 
They took a large rope hawser from the stern of the Blenheim, 
and made it fast to our foremast. When this was done, the}'' 
filled away, and stood on their course to the N. E., under easy 
sail, taking our little bark along with them. The contrast in 
the size of the 74 and the " Betsey and Polly," was as striking as 
would be a jolly-boat towed by a large merchant ship. The 
oxen were transported from our schooner to the Blenheim with 
great rapidity ; a strap was fastened round the horns of the ani- 
mal, which was then thrown overboard, and, with a line attached, 
hauled alongside, and hoisted on board by the head with the 
capstan, with the cheering music of the shrill fife, to keep time, 
and give life and animation to the novelty of the scene. In fine, 
the seamen and marines seemed to make a frolic of getting a 
supply of fresh provisions, where they so little expected to find 



60 , VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER BETSEY AND POLLY. 

it. In the course of five or six hours, we sold and delivered a 
large portion of our cargo. For the cattle and other large arti- 
cles, our captain received his pay in British government bills, 
while the officers, passengers and seamen paid for all they pur- 
chased in gold and silver. They paid liberal prices for all they 
bought, and treated us politely ; and, under all the circumstances 
of the case, our captain did not much complain against being 
taken some thirty or forty miles out of Our course. The poor 
merchant ships, however, did not fare quite so well as the 
men-of-war. 

The admiral gave a general order that the boats of the mer- 
chant ships should not be permitted to go on board of our 
schooner until the men-of-war were supplied. I recollect one 
poor merchant captain pulled up under our lee, and came on 
board for some fowls. He said he had several sick passengers, 
ladies and gentlemen, and must have some poultry at all hazards. 
They hailed him from the flag-ship, and threatened to punish 
h,im if he did not leave the schooner, and said they would cer- 
tainly fire upon him. He told our captain, in an under tone, 
that they might fire and be d — d, if they chose, — supplies for his 
sick passengers he would have, if they shot him dead on the 
spot. In this dilemmaj our mate assisted him to smuggle a 
dozen fowls into his boat, when he shoved off. At first it was 
amusing to see quite a number of boats sent from the merchant 
ships attempt to come on board ; but after a few muskets were 
discharged with balls whistling about their ears, they were glad 
to return to their respective ships, and accommodate themselves 
to circumstances. After all the men-of-war were supplied, a 
fresh breeze sprung up, and we were cast off from the Blenheim. 
It was then too late for the merchant ships to purchase any 
thing. As it happened, we found a better market on the broad 
ocean than we eventually met with, on our arrival at our des- 
tined port. "We soon got clear of the fleet, and proceeded on 
our way, rejoicing at our good fortune. I was told the admiral 
of the fleet had lately married the daughter of some rich planter, 
in one of the West India Islands, and had his wife with him, on 
the way to England ; so that they were probably spending their 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER BETSEY AND POLLY. 61 

honey-moon at sea. Captain TWnsend was a gentleman, in all 
his tastes and habits of life, very well educated, a good naviga- 
tor and an excellent lunarian. He had recently made a sealing 
voyage to Massafuero, in the Pacific, with Captain Daniel T. 
Green, in the ship Neptune, of New Haven, and in that ship 
had circumnavigated the globe. He wrote a good hand, and 
kept a neat journal. While on board of the Blenheim, the ad- 
miral inquired of him, whether he knew what longitude they 
were in ? Captain T. sent for his journal, pointed out the exact 
position of the fleet, and explained every thing so clearly to the 
satisfaction of the admiral and his officers, that they appeared 
astonished to find in the captain of a little horse-jockey schooner, 
a man so aufait on all subjects relating to the navigation of 
distant seas. At this period it was rare to meet with a scientific, 
efficient navigator, and not one ship in a hundred was furnished 
with a chronometer. 

After separating from the English fleet, nothing happened 
worth recording. We generally had good weather, but very 
light, baffling winds, and did not arrive at Barbadoes until the 
4th of August, after a long and tedious passage of 44 days. The 
captain landed in our own boat to try the market, while the 
schooner stood off and on opposite the harbor. In a few hours 
Captain T. returned on board, finding he could dispose of 
nothing to any advantage. We then made sail for the neigh- 
boring Island of St. Lucie. At this place we disposed of the 
rest of our cargo, except the corn-meal, and a few other small 
articles. 

St. Lucie is a high, mountainous island, thirty miles long 
and twelve broad. At this period it belonged to England, and 
contained about 16,000 inhabitants of mixed races ; white, black, 
and all the intermediate shades. It possesses an excellent har- 
bor, decidedly the best in the West Indies. But unfortunately it 
is often very sickly. Its principal productions are sugar, coffee, 
rum and molasses. We lay in this port about twenty days, and 
then sailed for the Island of St. Martin's. Here we sold the 
residue of our cargo, and took on board sugar, rum and mo- 
lasses in payment, and after lying here three weeks, again sailed 



62 VOYAGE m THE SCHOONER BETSEY AND POLLY. 

for home, and had a pleasant passage of twenty-two days to 
New Haven. In a few days after our arrival I was discharged. 
I will here take occasion to say that Captain Townsend is one 
of the most gentlemanly men I ever sailed with. He is 
kind and humane, and, in a word, a most excellent, worthy 
man. 



CHAPTER VII. 

VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER INDUSTRY, TO TENERIFFE, IN THE YEARS 

1805 AND 1806. 

On the 1st of November, 1805, I shipped with Capt. James 
Kennedy, on board the schooner " Industry" as chief mate, to 
perform a voyage to the Island of Teneriffe. On the 18th of 
the same month, we commenced loading with Indian corn, flour, 
staves, etc. The " Industry " was a good vessel, nearly new, 
burden 150 tons; and owned by Messrs. Le Roy, Bayard & 
McEvers. We finished loading in about a week, and sailed 
from New York on the 24th, bound for Santa Cruz, Teneriffe. 

Nothing occurred worth noticing until we made the Island 
of Madeira, on the 27th of December, 31 days after leaving 
port. At noon this day we took our departure from this island. 
It then bore N. N. W., distant 12 leagues, and with a strong 
gale at ~N. W. we ran down for Teneriffe. There are two small 
islands called the Salvages, which lie almost directly in the 
track. They are quite low, and in a dark night can be seen but 
a very short distance. Our captain judged we should be down 
in the neighborhood of them about 2 o'clock a. m. 

It being my first watch, namely, from 8 o'clock till 12, the 
captain gave me charge of the deck, telling me to call him at 
midnight, saying he would shorten sail at 2 o'clock, and if the 
wind continued strong it would be better to lie by until day- 
light. He then went below, and in a few minutes was sound 
asleep. 

I accordingly carried as much sail as the schooner would 
bear until midnight, when I called Capt. K., told him it was 



64 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK INDUSTRY. 

blowing very strong, and that it was necessary to shorten sail, 
as we were no doubt drawing near the Salvages. He ap- 
peared to rouse up a little, and then sank into a sound sleep. I 
returned to the deck and waited some minutes, when I again 
called, and endeavored by repeated shakings and loud calls to . 
arouse him ; but all to no purpose. I could not awaken him, 
and was therefore obliged to go on deck and shorten sail. At 
2 a. m., I hove the schooner to, determined to lie by till daylight. 
I then went below, giving the watch on deck orders to call me 
at the first dawn of day. This order was obeyed, and when I 
came on deck the Salvages were about a mile distant on our lee 
beam, with a terrible surf breaking and dashing the white foam 
high in the air with a terrific roar. We immediately made sail 
and passed quite near the largest of these desolate and barren- 
looking islands, which are, I should judge, about a mile asunder, 
with a bad reef extending from the larger to the smaller. 

I was now enabled to get the captain on deck and show him 
the danger we had escaped. Capt. Kennedy was a kind, 
amiable man, and always treated me with respect and kindness 
— but truth compels me to add, that he was the most profound 
sleeper I ever knew, and I verily believe, that if a two-and-forty 
pounder had been fired off on deck, directly over his head, it 
would not have awaked him or disturbed his slumbers. 

The next day we made the Island of Teneriffe, and got safe 
to anchor in the port of Santa Cruz on the 29th of Decem- 
ber, after a boisterous passage of 33 days. We were this day 
visited by the health-boat, and, though all well, ordered to per- 
form quarantine for four days, after which time we got pratique 
and commenced discharging our cargo, which was taken on 
shore in small lighters. 

We found lying at anchor in this port but few vessels, say 
about half a dozen ; three American brigs and schooners, a few 
small craft belonging to the island, and a large Scotch brig, 
nearly new, of about 250 tons burden. This brig was from 
Newfoundland, laden with codfish, bound to London, had been 
taken in the chops of the English Channel by a French fleet of 
men-of-war on their passage to the West Indies a few days out 
from Eochefort, and was sent into this port and condemned. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK INDUSTRY. 65 

She lay moored, with 4 bower anchors, topmast and yards on 
deck, prepared to brave the winter gales, which often blow here 
with great violence. 

About the last of December, a French brig-of-war touched 
here for a few days, and brought the news of a great naval 
battle having been fought on the 21st of October off Cadiz and 
Trafalgar, between the combined fleets of France and Spain, 
and an English fleet under the command of Admiral Lord Nel- 
son, and that he was killed in the action. This was about all 
the news we heard on this subject for many months. 

On referring to Southey's Life of Lord Nelson and other 
documents, I find that a British fleet of four line-of-battle ships 
and three frigates arrived off this port on the 22d of July, 1797, 
and that at midnight of the 24th all the boats of the squadron 
were manned and headed in person by Admiral Nelson. They 
landed on the quay and attempted to storm the town and 
batteries, but were repulsed with great slaughter. Lord Nelson 
was shot in the arm and soon placed hot*s de combat. His life 
was saved by being carried on board of his boat by a young 
officer, his son-in-law, Josiah Nesbit. I was told by the in- 
habitants of Santa Cruz that the clay after the English had re- 
tired to their ships, the Governor of the Island, actuated by 
noble sentiments of humanity, sent on board the fleet a large 
quantity of fresh provisions, wine, and other nourishments for 
the sick and wounded, with a polite letter to the commander-in- 
chief. 

We had discharged about half our cargo when, about noon, 
on the 8th of January, it commenced blowing a gale from the 
eastward directly on shore. At 3 o'clock p. m. I received a note 
from Captain Kennedy, requesting me to clear the decks and 
get ready as soon as possible to go to sea, stating that he would 
be on board in the course of an hour or two. I accordingly 
cleared the decks, reefed the sails and got buoys ready. At 6 
o'clock the captain came on board, when we slipped our cables, 
got under way, and had just time to clear the land before dark. 

In the early part of this day a ship arrived off the port. 
Her captain went on shore to try the market, requesting the 
mate to stand off and on until further orders. "We also stood 
5 



66 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER INDUSTRY. 

off the land. Just before dark we saw the ship in the pffing, 
and supposed we were several miles asunder. 

At 8 p. m. it became very dark, and blew a strong gale 
from the S. E. and E. S. E. directly on shore, attended with 
rain and much thunder and lightning, but as we had got every 
thing snug, and judged ourselves about five miles from the land, 
we felt quite safe. Just then the steward called the captain 
and myself to supper. Captain K. told me I had better go be- 
low, that he would keep a look-out, and take a little tea and 
biscuit on deck. I had just entered the cabin when I felt a 
terrible shock. I ran to the companion-way, when I saw a ship 
athwart our bows. At that moment our foremast went by the 
board, earring with it our main-topmast. In an instant the two 
vessels separated, and we were left a perfect wreck. The ship 
showed a light for a few moments and then disappeared, leaving 
us to our fate. When we came to examine our situation, we 
found our bowsprit gone close to the night-heads. 

The foremast in its fall had crushed and broken the cook- 
house, lee gunwale, and waist-boards. The main-topmast in its 
fall tore the mainsail to pieces, and the mainmast, thus left 
without support, was surging and springing in such a manner 
that we feared every moment it would go also. The gale in- 
creased and blew with great violence directly on shore. To 
retard the schooner's drift, we kept the wreck of the foremast, 
bowsprit, sails, spars, etc., fast by the bowsprit shrouds, and 
other ropes, so that we drifted to leeward but about two miles 
the hour. To secure the mainmast was now the first object. I 
therefore took with me one of the best of the crew and carried 
the end of a rope cable with us up to the mainmast head, and 
clenched it round the mast while it was badly springing. We 
then took the cable to the windlass, hove taught, and effectually 
secured the mast. It was now 10 o'clock at night, and we could 
do no more for the present. I then gave the charge of the deck 
to one of our best men, with orders to keep a good look-out and 
call me if there should be any change of wind or weathe*. We 
were then drifting directly on shore where the cliffs were rocky, 
abrupt, almost perpendicular, and perhaps 1000 feet high. At 
each flash of lightning we could see the surf break, while we 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER INDUSTRY. 67 

heard the awful roar of the sea dashing and breaking against 
the rocks and caverns of this iron-bound island. 

When I -went below, I found the captain in the act of going 
to bed ; and as near as I can recollect, the following dialogue 
took place: "Well, Captain K., what shall we do next? we 
have now about six hours to pass before daylight, and, according 
to my calculation, only about three hours more drift ; still, 
before that time there may, perhaps, be some favorable change." 
He answered, "Mr. C, we have done all we can and can do 
nothing more ; I am resigned to my fate and think nothing can 
save us." I replied, " Perhaps you are right, sir ; still, I am re- 
solved to struggle to the last. I am too young to die ; I am 
only twenty-one years of age, and have a widowed mother, three 
brothers and a sister, looking to me for support and sympathy. 
No, sir ; I will struggle and persevere to the last." " Ah ! " 
said he, " what can you do ? Our boat will not live five min- 
utes in the surf, and you have no other resource." " I will take 
the boat," said I, " and when she fills, I will cling to a spar, I 
will not die until my strength is exhausted, and I can breathe 
no longer." Here the conversation ended, when the captain 
covered his head with a blanket. I then wrote the substance 
of our misfortune in the log-book, and also a letter to my 
mother, rolled them up in a piece of tarred canvas, and, assisted 
by the carpenter, put the package in a tight keg ; thinking that 
this might be thrown on shore, and our friends p'erhaps know 
of our end. 

I then went on deck to take another look at our perilous 
situation. The night was excessively dark, the wind blowing a 
terrible gale directly on shore, with a high-rolling sea ; at short 
intervals, we had awful peals of thunder, and sharp, vivid light- 
ning. Every bright flash revealed to us more clearly our im- 
pending danger, and as we were momentarily drifting nearer to 
the lofty cliffs, the surf seemed to break and roar with increased 
fury. 

At this critical moment, when all human aid was impotent 
and unavailing, a kind Providence came to our relief, and 
snatched us from a watery grave ; for at midnight, one hour 
after this trying scene, the gale gradually died away until it be- 



68 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER INDUSTRY. 

came quite calm. At 2 in the morning a light breeze sprung 
up from off the land, and we were saved. With the little land 
breeze, and a favorable current setting along-shore to the south- 
ward, the schooner was gently swept off and along the south 
end of the island. At early dawn, viz. at 3 o'clock, I called 
all hands, and now our captain acted like a man. Having been 
bred a carpenter in early life, he could use tools adroitly, and 
we all set to work in good earnest. 

"We had a new mainsail and jib below, which we instantly 
bent, rigged out a squaresail boom for a bowsprit, and in an 
hour our vessel was completely rigged into a sloop, and we were 
slowly steering off shore. 

At broad daylight we were about half a mile off the land. 
Santa Cruz was entirely out of sight, and not a ship or boat 
to be seen. We gradually drifted with the wind and current to 
the southward of the island. The winds continued light, and 
the weather fine, for several clays. In the mean time we rigged 
a small jury-mast with a spare topmast, set as many jibs as we 
could muster, and daily beat against the wind and current; 
until at the end of eighteen days we again reached Santa Cruz, 
and regained our former anchorage. 

At the sight of our vessel, the whole town was astonished, 
as we had been given up for lost, and both vessel and cargo 
had been abandoned to the underwriters in New York. The 
ship that ran us down, proved to be the " Catharine" Captain 
George Dowdall, of New York. Their report was, that they 
saw nothing of the schooner after the two vessels separated, 
and concluded, of course, that we immediately sank, and that 
every soul had perished. I understood that the Catharine 
received considerable injury about the bows, and lost a bower 
anchor and sixty or seventy fathoms of cable. 

There was an American brig here belonging to Bath (then 
in the province of Maine), to sail the next day, so that we were 
enabled to write to our friends that we were still among the 
living. When our captain went on shore at Santa Cruz, he was 
treated with great kindness and hospitality by all the principal 
merchants of the town, and we were all looked upon as so many 
men risen from the dead. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER INDUSTRY. 69 

We soon discharged the remainder of our cargo, had several 
surveys on the vessel, and as no suitable spars could be found 
there to make a new foremast and bowsprit, the schooner was 
condemned and sold at public auction, for the benefit of the un- 
derwriters. 

Capt. Kennedy then purchased the Scotch prize brig, to 
which myself and all the crew of the Industry were transferred. 
I do not recollect the Scotch name of this vessel, but Capt. K. 
called her the " Jane Kennedy" after one of his daughters. 

"We took on board a quantity of stone ballast, sea stores, &c, 
&c, and on the 6th of March sailed for New York. "We had 
contrary winds and calms, and on the 26th of April, after a loug 
and tedious passage of 49 days, arrived off Sandy Hook. While 
standing in near the Hook, I saw a gun fired from the British 
ship-of-war " Leander" at a small sloop, standing in shore. I 
saw the sloop heave to, but did not know at that time that the 
shot struck her. When we got to New York, I heard that a 
man by the name of John Pierce had been killed. The next 
morning I went on board the sloop, lying at the wharf. The 
shot had struck the taffrail, shivered it to pieces, and one of the 
splinters killed Pierce, while standing at the helm. The death 
of this man, occurring at the entrance of the port, and in our 
own waters, while we were at peace with England, caused a 
great excitement against the perpetrators of this outrage. The 
whole country felt that it was an insult to the nation, and called 
aloud for redress. 

A large meeting of citizens was held in the Park, before the 
City Hall, where suitable resolutions and remonstrances were 
made and forwarded to the General Government in Washing- 
ton. These violent acts occurring from time to time, engendered 
much bad blood and resentment against the English, and it was 
easy to see that such conduct on the part of Great Britain would 
eventually lead to bloodshed and open war between the two 
nations. 

A day or two after our arrival, the crew of our vessel were 
discharged and paid off, Capt. Kennedy retaining his apprentice 
boy and myself. After getting the brig calked and painted she 
was laid up, until Capt. K. could hear from Scotland, where he 



70 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER INDUSTRY. 

had written to her former owners, offering to sell her to them 
at a fair valuation, they having the privilege of obtaining a new 
register, &c. She was, of course, worth more to them than to 
others. Capt. Kennedy purchased this vessel without any pa- 
pers, and came home with a simple certificate from the Ameri- 
can Consul at Teneriffe, that he had purchased and paid for the 
brig at Santa Cruz. 

The brig being now in perfect order, I got leave of absence 
to visit my mother, in Connecticut, and as Capt. Kennedy had 
no further need of my services, we separated with mutual good 
wishes for our future prosperity. 



CHAPTEE VIII. 

VOYAGE IN THE SHIP MAESHALL FROM NEW YORK TO LEGHORN, AND 
FROM THENCE TO NEW ORLEANS, WITH CAPT. WILLIAM HETH, IN THE 
YEARS 1S06 AND 1807. 

At this period I had just returned from a voyage to Teneriffe ; 
and being anxious for active employment, shipped (on the 20th 
of June) as chief mate with Captain Heth, on board the Mar- 
shall, bound to Leghorn. The principal part of her cargo was 
Calcutta sugar in bags. The ship was about 280 tons burden, 
and owned by Messrs. Archibald Grade and George M. Wool- 
sey. We sailed from New York on the first of July, and 
after a pleasant passage of 38 days, arrived at Gibraltar. 
Having remained here two days, and taken on board several 
casks of water, sea-stores, etc., we again made sail for our 
destined port. Nothing worth noticing occurred until we got 
near Cape de Gatt, where we were becalmed for two days. The 
weather was very warm, the sky bright and clear, the sea as 
smooth as glass, and literally covered with turtle. 

We got out our boats, and took a great number of them with 
little or no trouble. They generally weighed from thirty to 
sixty pounds, and appeared to be asleep on the surface of the 
water. "While we lay here, we saw another ship and a brig, 
with their boats out also catching turtle. This was to me a 
novel sight : I had never before, nor have I ever since, seen so 
great a number of them together. 

During the remainder of the passage we had generally light 
winds and fine weather, until we arrived at Leghorn, on the 
23d of August, 54 days from New York. We were visited by 
the health-boat, and ordered to remain in quarantine in the 



72 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP MARSHALL. 

Roads, until all our cargo was discharged and stored at the 
Lazaretto. At this place we were consigned to the commercial 
house of Messrs. Grant, "Webb & Co. 

There were several large stone warehouses at the Lazaretto, 
around which was a high wall, separating it entirely from the city : 
here all vessels in quarantine were allowed to store their car- 
goes. We soon commenced discharging, but when the cargo was 
about half out, a strong gale from the W. S. W. drove our ship 
on shore,, taking both anchors along with her. Fortunately the 
bottom was soft, and she received no damage ; and when the 
remainder of the cargo was taken out, we hove her off without 
much difficulty. We then got pratique, and went into the inner 
harbor. During the time we were in quarantine, all letters 
from us were taken with a pair of long tongs, and smoked with 
brimstone. 

It sometimes happened that a ship not in quarantine was 
forced, by some unavoidable circumstance, to touch another 
lying in quarantine ; and if it should so happen that any part 
of her tackle came in contact, for example, a jib or any small 
sail, it was immediately unbent and sent to the Lazaretto, there 
to remain for a certain number of days. After the foregoing 
recital, it must be acknowledged that here these laws are fully 
carried out, both as to the letter and spirit. 

The captain of the Marshall was a native df Richmond, Vir- 
ginia, well educated, polite and gentlemanly in his deportment. 
He was kind and generous to a fault, but extremely quick and 
passionate. He, however, treated me with great kindness, and 
allowed me every reasonable indulgence. While lying here, he 
gave me leave of absence for three days to visit Pisa, which 
was in ancient times a great city, but now contains only about 
20,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the banks of the river 
Arno, 13 miles from Leghorn, and lies N. !N". E. from that city. 

Pisa, though a dull town, still retains many marks of its 
former grandeur, namely, its fine marble bridges, magnificent 
cathedral, fine stone quays, and ancient palaces. The old lean- 
ing tower, 202 feet high, is also a great curiosity. From the 
top of this I had a fine view of the Arno, and the surrounding 
country. While walking about this town, I met with many 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP MAESHALL. 73 

objects which reminded one of its extreme antiquity,* and when 
I reflected on its bygone importance, and its present insignifi- 
cance, it produced feelings not unlike those which we experience 
while gazing on the mouldering ruins of a once magnificent 
cathedral. 

At Pisa, the living is good and cheap, but a stranger meets 
with many annoyances : he is importuned at every step by beg- 
gars, and while at the hotels bands of musicians, both vocal and 
instrumental, never cease their singing and playing until paid 
to retire ; bating these and some other lesser evils, there are 
many things to admire. The climate is generally good and 
healthful, the fruit and wine delicious. The ancient and modern 
pictures and sculptures in the churches are well worth the 
attention of strangers. At the expiration of the allotted time, I 
returned to the ship well pleased with my visit. We now com- 
menced in good earnest taking in our cargo, which consisted of 
variegated marble slabs, wine, oil, olives, soap, almonds, etc., 
etc., and after lying in this port about two months, sailed on the 
23d of October. We had a pleasant passage down the Medi- 
terranean, passed Gibraltar on the 3d of November, and the 
next day were fairly out on the x broad Atlantic. We ran down 
to the southward and westward, and soon got into the regular 
trade-winds^ When drawing near the Bahama Islands, we 
steered for the Hole-in- the-Wall, on the south end of Abaco, in 
the parallel of latitude 26° 10', as laid down in the navigation 
books in general use at that time, particularly the one by 
Hamilton Moore. 

We made the land about twenty miles to the northward of 
the Hole-in-the-Wall, and came very near getting aground by 
taking this erroneous latitude. We were consequently obliged 
to make several tacks to the southward, and were thus detained 
several hours. It is now ascertained that the true position of 
the Hole-in-the-Wall is latitude 25° 51' north, longitude 77° 0' 
west. I will here remark, that the old navigation books are not 
at all to be depended upon, particularly those relating to the 
Bahama Islands and Banks. At that time there were no light- 
houses along the Florida shore, and the charts were miserable. 
Our voyage was very much prolonged in consequence of the 



74 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP MARSHALL. 

ship not being coppered. She was sheathed with pine boards, 
which were literally covered with barnacles and sea-grass. 

After a long and tedious passage of seventy-six days, we 
arrived off the month of the Mississippi on the 11th of January, 
1807, where we had a severe gale from the IS". W. which lasted 
about a week, and prevented our getting into the river until the 
18th. We entered by the 1ST. E. pass (where the block-house 
now stands), which was then the deepest and best channel. The 
pilots at that time were all hired by the month, and regulated 
by Messrs. Johnson & Bradish ; they were generally old sailors. 
Messrs. J. & B. likewise owned several small schooners, em- 
ployed as lighters. 

On our passage up the Mississippi we got the ship aground, 
and were obliged to discharge a large portion of the cargo on 
the bank of the river ; we also hired a schooner from Johnson & 
Bradish to take a part of it up to New Orleans. After getting 
the ship afloat, we reloaded with our own boats. This unfor- 
tunate affair detained us eight days. We at length arrived at 
New Orleans on the 8th of February, twenty-one days after 
entering the river, and a hundred and four from Leghorn. 

At this time there was not a steamboat on the Mississippi, 
and vessels were frequently from ten to twenty, and large heavy 
ships even thirty days, getting up from the Balize to ]STew Or- 
leans. It was, indeed, a tiresome, laborious business to ascend 
the river against the current, sailing when the wind was fair, 
and when ahead warping and tracking, and often gaining but a 
few miles a day. When the wind was ahead and the current 
running very strong, we often made fast a large hawser to a tree 
on the bank of the river, and heaved the ship ahead by the 
capstan or windlass ; and thus by main force, after many hours 
of hard labor, we found we had gained only a mile or two. 

On the 30th of April, 1803, the United States Government 
purchased Louisiana from France, and on the 30th of Novem- 
ber of the same year, General Wilkinson was sent with a suf- 
ficient number of U. S. troops to garrison and protect New Or- 
leans, which at that time contained only about 8,000 inhabitants, 
principally French and Spanish. At this time, March, I should 
judge, there were about 9,500 to 10,000 souls. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP MARSHALL. 75 

During my stay in this city, the following incident occurred : 
A soldier belonging to the United States army, under the com- 
mand of General "Wilkinson, had deserted twice, had been taken, 
brought back, and after some slight punishment, pardoned. -Not 
long after this he deserted a third time ; he was again taken, 
brought back, tried by a court-martial, and condemned to be 
shot. 

On the day of the execution, the troops were all paraded on 
the public square, with a large band of music, muffled drums, 
etc. In the centre of the troops were four men bearing a coffin 
on a bier. The culprit was taken from prison with his hands 
bound behind him, and ordered to walk behind the men who 
bore his coffin. Thus prepared, the whole squadron commenced 
marching with slow and solemn steps, the band played the 
" Dead March," and thousands of spectators followed on, as was 
supposed, to witness the execution. 

In this manner the whole cortege proceeded just outside of 
the town, to a lonely place, where a grave was prepared. Here 
the music ceased playing, the coffin was placed near the grave 
of the culprit, and twelve men were ordered out of the ranks, 
with their muskets loaded, ready for the execution. 

The deserter saw all the preparations, and was then blind- 
folded. All were waiting with breathless expectation to hear 
the fatal word given to fire, when an officer took from his 
pocket and read a written reprieve from Mr. Madison, the Pres- 
ident of the United States. I was near enough to' witness the 
whole transaction : up to this moment the man bore his fate 
with great fortitude ; but when the word reprieve caught his 
ear, it completely overpowered him, and he could with difficulty 
stand without assistance. 

At this moment a sentiment of thrilling gladness seemed to 
pervade the whole assemblage, and with shouts of joy every- 
body appeared to return to town with light hearts. It was said 
the mother and sisters of the soldier obtained his pardon through 
Mrs. Madison. I understood, that by a military order the man 
was dismissed from the army ; had his head shaved, and was 
drummed out of town. 

The consignee of our ship was Mr. George M. Phillips. 



76 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP MARSHALL. 

This gentleman sold a part of our cargo on the levee, and put 
the residue into his warehouse. This occupied some ten or fif- 
teen days. There being at this period no steamboats, all the mer- 
chandise that was sent into the interior was taken in long, nar- 
row keel-boats, propelled by oars, and furnished with long boat- 
hooks, to haul up by the trees and bushes along the banks of 
the river. By this mode of transportation, it necessarily occu- 
pied some months to make a voyage to St. Louis. 

At this period, 1807, Mexico was a colony of Spain, and no 
ship or vessel was allowed to trade there except by a special 
license from the Spanish Government. The colony manufac- 
tured little or nothing, and of course was entirely dependent on 
Europe and the United States for almost all their clothing and 
articles of luxury. To pay for these manufactured goods they 
had nothing but the precious metals, and a few articles of drugs 
and dye-stuffs, such as jalap, sarsaparilla, cochineal, etc., etc. 
Vera Cruz was the only port in the Gulf of Mexico where for- 
eign ships were allowed to enter, and here centred nearly all 
its commerce. This circumstance will account for the high 
prices of almost all kinds of European goods. 

Yast quantities of dollars were brought down from the city 
of Mexico, and all exported from this place. It had long been 
the policy of Spain to exclude her American colonies from any 
commerce or intercourse with other nations, and thus they were 
shut out from the rest of the world, and kept in ignorance of 
their own rights and privileges, in order to enrich the 'mother 
country at their expense. 

At this time I had frequent conversations with intelligent 
Spaniards on this subject, and they all agreed, that if they could 
exclude strangers from South America, they would be able to 
retain their colonies for at least another century. They said, 
moreover, that if the people could be kept in ignorance, they 
would be far happier, enjoying their religion unmolested, and 
living in a simple state, void of ambition and a thousand arti- 
ficial wants. They furthermore added, your countrymen, the 
North Americans, are the most to be feared, for if the seeds of 
Kepublicanism are once sown among them, they will be lost to 
us forever. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP MARSHALL. 77 

After our ship was discharged she was advertised for sale, 
and lay idle for some weeks. Captain Heth, who was always a 
kind friend of mine, was willing to discharge me, to promote my 
interest ; so, by mutual consent, I left his ship, and joined the 
schooner Centurion in March, 1807. 



CHAPTER IX. 

FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CENTURION, PROM NEW ORLEANS 
TO VERA CRUZ, AND BACK TO NEW ORLEANS, WITH CAPT. JOHN 
WALLER, IN THE YEAR 1807. 

There was lying in this port a fine, fast-sailing schooner, called 
the Centurion, commanded by John "Waller, and in part or 
wholly owned by Archibald Gracie, Esq., of New York. The 
owners or agents of this schooner had obtained a license from 
the Government of Old Spain, with directions to the Yiceroy of 
Mexico to admit a certain amount of goods, such as German 
linens, and other articles of merchandise, all of which were to 
correspond with the license. The business of this vessel was 
conducted by a German merchant residing here, by the name 
of Yincent Kolte, Esq. 

In this schooner I obtained a situation as chief mate ; she 
was soon loaded and ready for sea. On the 10th of March we 
sailed down the river, bound for Yera Cruz : in two days we 
got clear of the Balize, and seven days after came to anchor at 
our destined port. We soon landed the cargo according to the 
license. I had a small adventure, which I disposed of at an 
enormous profit ; common printed calico sold for one dollar per 
yard, mock Madras handkerchiefs at $12 per dozen, and most 
other kinds of European goods in like proportion ; in fine, they 
appeared to be in want of every thing, and had money in abun- 
dance to pay for all they bought. After landing the cargo, we 
took on board a quantity of stone ballast, and many thousand 
dollars in specie, the exact amount of which I do not recollect. 
"We lay here about a fortnight, when we again sailed, and after 
a pleasant passage of 15 days, got safe back to JS~ew Orleans on 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CENTURION. 79 

the 7th of April, thus making the entire voyage in 38 days. 
This voyage proved so successful, that it induced the owners 
or agents at ISTew Orleans to make another forthwith in the 
same vessel ; and as every person on board participated in 
a greater or less degree in the success of the enterprise, 
the captain, mate, and all hands remained by the good Cen- 
turion. 



CHAPTEE X. 

SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CENTURION, TO VERA CRUZ AND 
BACK TO NEW ORLEANS, WITH CAPT. J. WALLER, IN THE YEAR 1807. 

We were soon loaded again, and growing bold by success, and 
believing the King of Spain had no right to deprive his Ameri- 
can subjects of a few European luxuries, all those concerned in 
the enterprise, agents, officers, and seamen, took goods not mani- 
fested ; and thus we sailed on a second voyage, on the 20th of 
May. On our passage down to Yera Cruz nothing worth re- 
cording occurred, except that we had more calms and adverse 
winds than on the last voyage, and did not arrive until the first 
of June, making our passage eleven days. We soon commenced 
unloading the cargo. After we had discharged one lighter load, 
the custom house officers came on board, and began to search 
for contraband goods ; unfortunately they found a large amount 
of merchandise not manifested. I suffered severely with the 
rest ; they seized the greater part of my private adventure, as 
well as whatever belonged to the agents and seamen. What 
the difficulty was I was not able to learn correctly, but think 
it proceeded from the consignees not paying the custom house 
officers a fair compensation on the last voyage ; at any rate there 
was a breach of good faith somewhere, and we all suffered in 
consequence of bad management on the part of those, whose 
business it was to have arranged every thing upon amicable 
terms. I have almost always found that if good faith is kept by 
those engaged in smuggling, the Spanish custom house officers 
will never betray you ; but, on the contrary, if they find more 
goods than you represent, and deceive them in the quantity, 
they are always on the watch to have their revenge. After 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CENTURION. 81 

they had loaded a lighter with goods not specified in the license, 
they were all taken on shore and no one dared to own them. 
To allay the excitement and stop the public clamor, it was ne- 
cessary to account for these articles ; it was therefore judged 
best to throw the blame upon some individual, and I was per- 
suaded to assume the ownership of all the goods not manifested. 
Thus it was asserted that they all belonged to the mate, and that 
he had decamped and left every thing behind ; and to carry out 
this arrangement, that night I went quietly on board a Spanish 
sloop-of-war which was lying in port. In the morning it was 
reported that the mate had deserted, and the whole business 
was hushed up and settled. The few remaining goods that had 
not been found, were taken on shore by the boats of a Spanish 
man-of-war, and given up to our consignee. The captain of the 
ship-of-war was a great friend of his, and used to dine with him 
almost daily ; he gave orders to his officers to furnish me with a 
state-room while I remained on board his ship ; and also told 
his steward to provide me with every thing I wanted. 

At night, I occasionally made a visit to our schooner, and 
when she was ready for sea, went on board. We sailed from 
Vera Cruz on the 23d of June, and here the farce concluded, 
and my golden dreams were at an end. "We had no return 
cargo, except specie — the number of dollars I do not remem- 
ber : it was, however, very large ; but, for fear of mistake, I 
will leave it indefinite. 

We had a short and pleasant passage of eight days to the 
Balize, and got to New Orleans on the 7th of July. About a 
week after our arrival, the schooner was sold, when the captain, 
mate, and all hands were discharged ; and here ended my 
second voyage in the schooner Centurion. 

About a week after being discharged from the Centurion, 
Captain Waller got the command of a little pilot-boat schooner, 
called the Hetty, and as I was desirous to return to New- York, 
I shipped with him as mate. We got ready for sea. and left 
New Orleans on the 1st of August, bound to New- York. This 
was a poor little craft, and leaked badly all the passage. Had 
it not been a fine season of the year, she would probably never 
have reached her destined port. We, however, got along 
.6 



82 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER CENTURION. 

pretty well, and arrived safe at the quarantine ground, Staten 
Island, on the 22d of August. We performed four days' quar- 
antine, and were then allowed to proceed to the city, where we 
were all discharged. 

After getting to New-York, we found the city, and in 
short the whole country, in a state of great agitation, in conse- 
quence of the dastardly attack of the British ship-of-war Leop- 
ard on the United States frigate Chesapeake, Commodore 
James Barron. This cowardly transaction occurred on the 
22d of June, just two months previous to our arrival ; still 
the agitation and intense excitement had not much subsided. 
This unnatural and barbarous attack took place in a time 
of profound peace, when the Chesapeake was but a few hours 
out of port, bound to the Mediterranean — more in the position 
of a store-ship than a man-of-war. Her decks were lumbered 
up, and she not at all in a situation to use her guns, and in 
all human probability never dreaming it possible that she 
would be molested ; in short, it was more like the treachery 
of an Algerine cruiser than the transaction of a Christian 
nation. If the captain of the Leopard had possessed the honor- 
able feelings of a gentleman, he would have said to Captain 
Barron, I have positive orders from my admiral to take three 
English seamen out of your ship. If you are not willing to 
give them up, I must take them by force ; and if your ship 
is not in lighting trim, I will wait two hours to give you suffi- 
cient time to prepare for action. 

I say, had he taken this honorable course, the United 
States and the world at large would have sustained him, 
whatever might have been the result, and every honest and 
true-hearted American would have been satisfied. 

Such a course of conduct would not have engendered the 
bitter feelings of resentment which at this period pervaded the 
whole nation. Every patriot said and felt, justice may slumber 
for a while, but the day of reckoning must and will come, when, 
in the fair field of open-handed combat, the world will see that 
the Americans can and will avenge the many wrongs they have 
so often received from England. I do not say that Commodore 
Barron was entirely free from censure, in not having his ship 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK CENTTJKION. 83 

ready for action ; but I do assert, from a personal acquaintance 
with him, and a knowledge of his character for many years, that 
he was a brave man, and well worthy the confidence of his 
country. 

This affair, though at the time so mortifying to every Amer- 
ican bosom, has been of immense advantage to the United 
States Navy. It has taught all who belong to it to be ever 
ready, at the first tap of the drum, to rush to quarters, then look 
up at the emblem of liberty, with its stars and stripes gracefully 
waving over their heads, and with one heart and one voice to ex- 
claim, — Strike, for God and our country ! 

After an absence of thirteen months, I was extremely anx- 
ious to visit my mother, and other near relatives in Connecticut. 
I had long anticipated the pleasure of meeting those so dear to 
my heart, and it was a sad disappointment not to be able to ac- 
complish this long-cherished desire ; but, alas ! I was deprived 
of all my fond hopes, from the peculiar circumstances of the 
case. 

On my arrival I found my former owner, Archibald Gracie, 
Esq., had built a beautiful pilot-boat schooner for the Yera Cruz 
trade, and called her the Hamilton. He requested me to go 
chief mate of this fine vessel, and I forthwith repaired on board. 



CHAPTER XL 

FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON FROM NEW YORK, TO 
VERA CRUZ, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, WITH CAPTAIN J. WALLER, 
IN 1807. 

The Hamilton was about one hundred tons burden, quite new, 
and surpassed in speed and beauty any sailing vessel of this de- 
scription in the United States. ISTo pains or expense had been 
spared to make her perfect in every respect. She was built un- 
der the inspection of Mr. Thomas Williams, one of the most ex- 
perienced New York pilots of his day ; and, to insure safety in 
flight, Mr. "W. was hired to go a voyage to Vera Cruz in this 
schooner, as pilot and assistant sailing-master. 

I found this fine vessel nearly loaded with a rich cargo of 
German and English goods. John Waller was appointed to the 
command ; myself, chief mate ; Robert Adamson, second mate ; 
Captain James Brown, supercargo ; with a crew of fifteen men. 

Though we had a numerous crew, they were not taken to 
fight — for we had no guns — but to make and take in sail with 
all possible dispatch, and to run, when it became necessary. 
For this purpose, we were supplied with ten large oars or sweeps, 
to use in light winds and calm weather ; with orders from the 
owner to speak nothing, and run away from every sail we saw on 
the ocean. Being thus completely fitted, we sailed from New 
York on the 31st of August, and had a pleasant passage oft" the 
coast ; but owing to some mistake on the part of the captain, in 
lieu of making Turk's Island, we fell to leeward, and on the 12th 
of September, at 10 in the morning, made the island of Grand 
Caycos, bearing south fifteen miles distant. In consequence of 
falling in so far to the leeward, we were obliged to make seve- 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON. 85 

ral tacks to windward, and did not get fairly into Turk's Island 
passage until 4 o'clock p. m. We, however, passed through it 
without any difficulty. 

The first part of the next day the wind was light, and we 
made but little progress. About noon, we saw two small sail 
on our starboard beam, in chase of us ; in the afternoon, a fresh 
K.E. trade sprung up, when we soon ran them both out of sight 
astern. About 9 o'clock, p. m., it became almost calm, so much 
so that our vessel made but very little way through the water ; 
at 11, two hours after, we saw a small sail astern, coming up 
very fast, with light sails and oars. We immediately manned 
our sweeps, and endeavored to make our escape, but all to no 
purpose. She soon commenced firing upon us with small arms, 
and as we could make no resistance, the captain ordered the 
men to lay in the sweeps and go below. She was a small lateen- 
rigged craft, of some 30 or 40 tons, full of men, all armed to the 
teeth, with pistols and long knives. They soon pulled up on 
our lee-quarter, and jumped on board — calling out for every 
body to go below. When they found we were not armed, and 
could make no resistance, they ordered us to lower down all our 
sails, and wait for their consort to come up. The other vessel 
was much larger, schooner-rigged, and mounted six guns, with 
a crew of fifty or sixty men, of all colors and all nations, but 
principally Spaniards and Frenchmen. 

The captain of the schooner boarded us in his own boat, when 
they all commenced overhauling our papers and stealing every 
thing from the deck they could lay their hands upon ; they took 
all our live stock, pigs, ducks, fowls, all our oars, spare cordage, 
paints, etc., etc. Fortunately our hatches were battened down, 
and the boat stowed in such a manner that they could not get 
into the main hold without much labor ; so that they took noth- 
ing of the cargo. The captain of the small privateer was the 
most savage-looking rascal I ever saw. He was tall, with a 
dark, ferocious visage, large nose, and huge mustachios, and, in 
short, a perfect model of a cut-throat. I am not sure what 
countryman he was, but I think an Italian. He spoke bad 
French and broken English, and from that day to this, whenever 
an assassin or robber is spoken of, this fellow's visage returns to 



86 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON. 

my memory. He sadly abused Capt. Waller, striking him several 
times in the face with his hat, and threatened to flog him before 
he left the vessel, because he did not heave to and prevent so 
long a chase. The captain of the schooner appeared to be a 
Frenchman, and quite a different character ; he used no bad lan- 
guage to any person while on board our vessel, took nothing 
from us, and appeared ashamed of the conduct of his associate. 
He remarked to the other captain, "If the schooner is a lawful 
prize, let us take her ; if not, let her go, and not rob and plun- 
der in this disgraceful manner." 

Captain Brown, our supercargo, with a great deal of tact 
and good sense, tipped them the Masonic signs, and ordered the 
table spread with cold ham, bread and butter, cheese, wine, and 
porter, in short every good thing that the steward could muster, 
and then invited them to eat and drink, setting the example 
himself. They soon commenced drinking freely and singing 
in high glee, and all became good-natured and mellow except 
the captain of the small privateer, who would every now and 
then break off to abuse our captain, who understood not a word 
of French or Spanish. Our steward was a Frenchman, and a 
very good fellow. He was full of humor, and filled up the 
glasses so often, that even the cut-throat captain soon became 
better-natured. In the midst of this scene of noise and plunder, 
I put on a fine new hat in hopes by that means to save it, and 
went on deck ; soon after one of the crew of the small craft, 
stole it from my head and returned to the boat lying alongside. 
I immediately ran down below, and asked his captain whether 
he allowed his men to steal my hat from my head. He replied 
in Spanish, "No, mate; no man belonging to my vessel shall 
steal your hat." He told me to go to the man in his name, and 
get it back ; I did so, but the rascal refused to obey the order. 
I then returned to the cabin, and told the captain that the sailor 
would not give it to me. The captain ran on deck, and with a 
threatening oath ordered the man to return the hat ; the fellow 
was so angry that he threw it overboard, when one of our men 
picked it up and gave it to me; this put the scoundrel into 
a furious passion ; he drew a long knife, and swore that for one 
rial he would take my life. In the altercation between the cap- 



FIKST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON. 87 

taiu and the sailor, I overheard him tell his captain, that while 
he was plundering every thing for himself, he allowed him to 
take nothing ; the captain replied, " D — n you, I don't steal 
hats.' 1 

In this manner they detained us until about 3 o'clock in 
the morning, the most of them drunk, or nearly so. At this 
time a breeze sprung up, when they allowed us to make sail, 
and we were soon out of sight of these vile robbers. We never 
learned to what place these pirates belonged, but, from the best 
information we could obtain, concluded they were from Baracca 
in Cuba. During the remainder of the passage we met with 
no incident worth noticing, and on the 23d of September, came 
safe to anchor in the harbor of Vera Cruz, after a passage of 23 
days. We discharged our cargo, and had no difficulty with the 
custom house. We here learned that about ten days before our 
arrival there had been a violent gale from the north, which 
extended all along the coast; that sixteen vessels had been 
driven on shore, and many lives lost in this terrible norther. 
When we had discharged our cargo, we took in some stone 
ballast, and fifty boxes of dollars, each containing three thousand, 
making a sum total of $150,000. 

I sold my little adventure at a profit of 150 per cent.,which 
gave me, as the sailors say, a good chuck under the lee bow.. 
We remained in port three weeks, and then sailed on the 16th 
of October. After a passage of 18 days, we got safe back to 
, New York on the 4th of November, making the entire voyage 
in 65 days. 

I will here remark, that although Mr. Williams was a good 
pilot, and a good man, we found it unnecessary to take a New 
York pilot with us to Vera Cruz ; the captain and officers were 
fully competent to sail and manage a pilot-boat without one. 
The practice was, therefore, discontinued. 

Besides the Hamilton, Mr. Grade owned another pilot-boat 
schooner called the Collector. They were both of them em- 
ployed in the Vera Cruz trade ; sometimes ordered from Vera 
Cruz to Philadelphia, but generally to New York. Mr. Oliver 
owned, I think, three pilot-boat schooners in the same trade from 
Baltimore. I was young at this time, in a subordinate situation, 



08 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK HAMILTON. 

and therefore unacquainted with the arrangements made by my 
employers in transporting such an immense amount of dollars 
from Vera Cruz to the United States. I will, however, relate 
my conjectures on the subject, without being able to vouch for 
the truth of what I am about to narrate, which is as follows : 
That the house of Hope & Co., of Amsterdam, made a large 
loan to the government of old Spain upon certain conditions, 
one of which was, that they should receive the payment of the 
loan in Mexican dollars in the port of Vera Cruz, at a given 
rate ; and in this agreement the house of Hope & Co., or their 
agents, should have the privilege of introducing into Mexico 
a certain amount of European goods free from duty ; and that 
licenses and orders were given from the King of Spain to his 
Viceroy in Mexico to carry out these measures. 

These arrangements being made between the Spanish 
Government and Hope & Co., the next step was to get the 
goods safe to Vera Cruz, and there receive the pay for them, 
and also the amount of the loan in dollars, and transport them 
to the United States. To accomplish this part of the business, 
the house of Hope & Co. made an agreement with Archibald 
Gracie, Esq., of this city, and also with Mr. Oliver, of Baltimore, 
to perform their part of the duty ; that is to say, to take the goods 
to Vera Cruz, and bring back the proceeds in dollars, together 
with the amount of the government loan. I think the house of 
Parish & Co., of Hamburg, was concerned with them in this 
transaction, but in what way I am unable to say ; nor do I pre- 
tend to know how much per centage or profit was paid to 
Messrs. Gracie & Oliver for doing the business, but I am 
inclined to think they were liberally rewarded, and that they 
made a great deal of money by this transaction. I likewise 
understood that these schooners were limited to 160,000 dollars 
each, and that the insurance companies would not insure a 
greater amount in any one vessel. 

After the crew was paid off, I got leave of absence for a few 
days to visit my mother and friends in Connecticut, where I 
found them all well. 



CHAPTER XII. 

SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON, FROM NEW YORK TO 
VERA CRUZ, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, WITH CAPTAIN JOHN WAL- 
LER, IN THE YEAR 1808. 

I remained at home about a week, and then returned to New 
York, and commenced loading tlie schooner on the second voy- 
age for Yera Cruz. Captain "Waller retained the same second 
mate and a part of the old crew ; the residue were strangers. 
' After getting ready for sea, we sailed from New York on the 
10th of December, ran rapidly off the coast, and in ten days 
made Turk's Island, got safe through the passage, ran down be- 
tween Cuba and Jamaica, and arrived at Yera Cruz on the 4th 
of January, twenty-three days from New York, without any oc- 
currence worth noticing. In the winter we were allowed to 
anchor close under the Castles of St. Juan d'Ulloa, which cir- 
cumstance gave us considerable shelter from the north winds, 
which often blow violently at this season of the year. We had 
landed about half our cargo when one of these gales commenced 
blowing with great fury. Whenever these northers set in, per- 
sons on board must remain there ; all communication with the 
town being completely cut oif. Yards and topmast were housed 
or got down on deck, boats all hoisted on board, cables secured 
and clinched round the masts ; thus prepared we rode out this 
norther, which lasted three days. Often, during these gales, the 
sky is perfectly clear ; still the wind is so violent, that the surf 
and sands are blown quite over the high sea wall into the town 
of Yera Cruz ; and even in the city there are such clouds of 
dust, that it is very difficult to go from house to house. After 
the norther subsided, we landed the remainder of the cargo, and 



90 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON. 

got smoothly through the custom house. My private adventure 
cost me $600 in New York, and here I sold it for one hundred 
and twenty-five per cent, profit, clear of all charges. We took 
on board a quantity of stone ballast, and then the specie, namely, 
fifty-five boxes, containing three thousand dollars each, making 
a total of $165,000. Besides the specie, we had also, as cargo, 
twenty-five ceroons of cochineal, and on the 25th of January 
sailed for New York, returned through the Gulf, and had only 
a tolerable passage until we got to the Bahama Banks ; but 
from Cat Key, one of the Bahamas, we had a remarkably fine 
run ; namely, six days to New York, at which city we arrived 
on the 15th of February, after a passage of eighteen days. 
Thus ends my second voyage to Yera Cruz in the schooner 
Hamilton. 

On our return to New York, we found the United States 
government had laid a general embargo on all American ves- 
sels within the jurisdiction of the United States. This law was 
made on the 22d December, 1807, consequently our vessel was 
laid up, and we were all discharged except the second mate, 
who was retained as ship-keeper. Captain "Waller went to 
ISTew Orleans in search of employment. I returned home. 
This was a sad disappointment to me, as I had become well 
acquainted with these voyages, and was making money very 
fast; besides, the owner had promised me the command of a 
vessel in the trade, the first vacancy. I had, however, thank 
God, laid up a few thousand dollars, and up to this time had 
never eaten much idle bread. 

After remaining in Milford about six weeks, I very unex- 
pectedly received a letter from the owner of the Hamilton, re- 
questing me to repair forthwith to New York, and join the same 
schooner again, under the command of Captain John Richards. 
I immediately obeyed the order, and on the 7th of April went 
on board, and commenced getting ready for the voyage, taking 
in stone ballast, stores, etc. About this time the government 
of the United States granted permission to the merchants who 
had property and debts abroad, to send out vessels in ballast, to 
collect and bring home whatever they could gather together, 
either in money or other available property. As ships and ves- 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON. 91 

sels were allowed to take sufficient stores for the voyage, the 
merchants, of course, were in all cases wise enough to take a 
full supply, to have nothing to buy hut something to spare, so 
that in many instances vessels were half loaded with ship and 
cabin stores. We had a very large crew, and of course re- 
quired a large supply of provisions of almost every descrip- 
tion. In consequence of the embargo, seamen's wages were 
extremely low ; our crew consisted of twenty picked men be- 
fore the mast, and their wages were but six dollars per month. 



CHAPTER Xm. 

THIRD VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON, WITH CAPTAIN JOHN 
RICHARDS, FROM NEW YORK TO YERA CRUZ, THENCE TO PHILADEL- 
PHIA, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEAR 1808. 

We sailed from New York on the 10th of April, and took the 
same route as on the two former voyages, namely, through 
Turk's Island passage. We met with no incident worth record- 
ing, and after a pleasant passage of twenty days, arrived at Yera 
Cruz on the first of May. The object of this voyage was two- 
fold ; in the first place, to collect and bring to New York all 
debts due to Mr. Gracie from the merchants in Mexico, and in the 
second, to convey Mr. Yillanueva and his family to the United 
States. As we had no cargo to land, we had very little to do 
but to wait for our funds, and be ready to receive on board our 
distinguished passenger and his family. My private adventure 
cost me in New York, $600, and here I sold it for a clear profit 
of one hundred and fifty per cent. This was the most profitable 
voyage I ever made up to this date. I was also paid very lib- 
eral wages by the owners. The two preceding voyages I was 
allowed $50 per month, and on this one, where we carried no 
cargo, I was paid $35. 

As this will probably be my last voyage to Vera Cruz, I will 
here give a short description of the place. It is situated on the 
S. W. side of the Gulf of Mexico, and lies in latitude 19° 12' 
north, longitude 96° 9' west of London. This town, like most 
other Spanish places, is surrounded by a high wall with some 
six or eight gates, which are all closed at night. It has ten or 
twelve churches, and several other public buildings. Many of 
the houses are large and well built. Nearly all the public edi- 



THIRD VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEE HAMILTON. 93 

fices and many of the houses are plastered and whitened ; and 
when approaching the city from the sea, it has rather an impo- 
sing appearance. It contains from twelve to fifteen thousand 
inhabitants. It is built on the margin of the sea, and surround- 
ed by a sand barren. The weather is excessively hot in the 
summer season, and this, with other local causes, renders it very 
unhealthy during the hot months, particularly for foreigners ; in 
fine, the town has but few redeeming qualities, and generally 
strangers only visit it for the sake of gain, or pass through it to 
go to the city of Mexico, and are always glad to leave as soon 
as possible. The harbor is formed by a small sand island called 
St. Juan d'Ulloa, which lies directly opposite the town, and is 
nearly covered with walls and fortifications. This island and 
some six or eight sand banks called the Sacrificios, lying in a S. 
E. direction from St. Juan d'Ulloa, form the port of Vera Cruz; 
some of these banks are above water and others below ; they 
however serve to break the sea, and in the summer time it is 
pretty safe, and a very tolerable harbor. In the winter season, 
shipmasters should take care to anchor close under the lee of the 
castles, in four or five fathoms of water, where they may ride 
out with comparative safety a severe norther. 

At length after waiting about twenty days in this port, our 
gentleman passenger came down here from Mexico with his 
family. Don Jose C. de Yillanueva was the agent of the house 
of Hope & Co., of Amsterdam. He had resided several years 
and acquired a very large fortune in this country, where he had 
lately married a Mexican lady. He was highly esteemed and 
beloved by all classes of people, and was a very accomplished 
gentleman ; he spoke fluently the French, Spanish, German and 
English languages. We got ready for sea, took on board a 
large sum in dollars (the amount I am unable to state with pre- 
cision), and after remaining twenty-four days in this port, sailed 
for Philadelphia on the 24th of May. We had a pleasant pas- 
sage of eighteen days, and arrived at the quarantine grounds, 
fourteen miles below the city, on the 12th of June. Here we 
were detained three days, and then permitted to proceed to 
Philadelphia, where we landed Mr. Yillanueva and his family. 
After taking the specie on shore, we remained here a few days, 



94 THIRD VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER HAMILTON. 

and then sailed for New York, where we arrived on the 22d of 
June. We were all discharged except the second mate, Mr. 
Adamson, who was retained to take care of the vessel, which 
was laid up. 

On the first of July I returned to Milford, to visit my moth- 
er and family ; and as the embargo was still in force, I was 
without employment. After remaining idle for about a month, 
I took up my residence in Stamford, and commenced studying 
the French language, under the instruction of a Frenchman re- 
siding there, by the name of Ferry. He had about half-a-dozen 
scholars, was an efficient teacher, and a pleasant, gentlemanly 
man. I had friends and relations living at this time in Stamford, 
which rendered my stay there very agreeable; and thus, be- 
tween New York, Stamford, and Milford, I managed to pass my 
leisure time very pleasantly. 

I was desirous that the embargo should be taken off, and not 
compel men bred to the sea to abandon their occupation ; and 
was always opposed to the Chinese policy of crawling along 
shore, and leaving the dominion of the ocean undisputed to 
Great Britain, or any other nation. On the contrary, I was in 
favour of an armed neutrality, and if that could not be effected 
and sustained, deemed open and absolute war far preferable to 
the practice of always acting on the defensive. As with indi- 
viduals, so with nations : if they do not respect themselves, they 
are always liable to insult. 

After having spent the winter in inactivity, I returned to 
New York on the first of March, where I found the beautiful 
little schooner Hamilton sold, and the trade to Yera Cruz aban- 
doned. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

VOYAGE IN THE BRIG HENRY AND ISABELLA PROM NEW YORK TO ST. BAR- 
THOLOMEW, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEAR 1809. 

On the first of March, of this year the embargo was repealed by 
the government of the United States, and thus its citizens were 
left at liberty to pursue whatever course they might choose to 
adopt with respect to foreign voyages. 

I had been residing in Connecticut about eight months, from 
the time I left the Hamilton, on the first of July of last year, 
but on the earliest notice of the repeal of the embargo, I has- 
tened to New York, and was there offered the command of a 
small brig, called the Henry and Isabella, of 103 tons burden, 
owned by Messrs. Lawrence & Whitney, of this city. I forth- 
with accepted the offer — being delighted at the idea of getting 
to sea once more, particularly as this was my first essay as cap- 
tain. I took with me as mate my old friend and shipmate, Ste- 
phen Trowbridge. Our crew was composed of four seamen, a 
black cook, and cabin-boy. This boy was «, bright lad of fifteen, 
called David Hepburn ; he was a native of Milford, Connecti- 
cut. As I shall have frequent occasion to mention his name 
hereafter, in narrating my subsequent voyages, I am therefore 
scrupulously minute on this subject. We had also two cabin 
passengers — one was an English gentleman, Robert Cartmel, 
Esq., who had resided several years in the West Indies, and 
owned a small portion of the cargo. He was a kind-hearted, 



96 VOYAGE IN" THE BRIG HENRY AND ISABELLA. 

intelligent man ; the other was a Mr. Eice, of him I knew but 
little. He appeared to be going abroad to seek his fortune 
among the West India islands, and without much stability of 
purpose. After getting the cargo on board, and every thing 
ready, we left New York, on the 3d of April, for St. Bartholo- 
mew. 

We had a pleasant passage of twenty days, and arrived safe 
at our destined port on the 23d of the same month. Here we 
lay several weeks waiting a return cargo, during which period 
I received much kind hospitality from the merchants, and 
passed the time very pleasantly. This island, which is no more 
than a barren rock, has a tolerable harbor at its lee or west 
end, and belongs to Sweden. There is here but very little cul- 
tivation, consequently the inhabitants are almost entirely sup- 
ported by commerce. 

I was consigned to Wm. Cock, Esq., the principal merchant 
at this place ; he in fact transacts the greatest part of the busi- 
ness done on the island. After taking on board about 60 tierces 
of coffee, some casks of cocoa, and a few puncheons of rum, we 
got ready for sea. I had six French gentlemen as cabin passen- 
gers ; they were captains and lieutenants belonging to the 
French navy, and were from Guadaloupe. They took passage 
with me to New- York, in order to return from that city to 
France. They were attended by their own servants, and were 
pleasant, agreeable men. 

We lay in this port about five weeks. We sailed for New- 
York on the 25th of May, and had a very pleasant passage of 
fifteen days. We made a fair saving voyage for so small a 
vessel. As this was my first voyage as master, I was happy 
that every thing turned out so satisfactorily to all parties con- 
cerned. I had hardly got the little brig discharged, before 
my former friend, Archibald Gracie, Esq., gave me the com- 
mand of his ship Virginia, then lying at New- York. I resigned 
the command of the Henry and Isabella to my eldest brother, 
William Coggeshall, with the consent of the owners, and took 
charge of the ship Virginia. 

I had now fairly embarked on my career as a young ship- 
master, and adopted as my motto the following stanza from 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG- HENRY AND ISABELLA. 97 

Scotia's favorite bard, with a firm resolve to carry it out to the 
best of my abilities : 

" To catch dame fortune's golden smile, 

Assiduous wait upon her, 
And gather gear by ev'ry wile 

That's justified by honor ; 
Not for to hide it in a hedge, 

Nor for a train-attendant ; 
But for the glorious privilege 

Of being independent." 



CHAPTER XV. 

VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA, FROM NEW-YORK TO PETERSBURG, VA., 
THENCE TO EUROPE, AND BACK TO NEW-YORK, IN THE YEAR 1809. 

On the 1st of July, 1809, I took charge of the Virginia. This 
ship was about 385 tons burden, coppered and copper fastened, 
and considered a very good ship for those days. She had just 
returned from Holland under the command of Archibald 
Crockett, a worthy old Scotch gentleman, who had spent the 
greater part of his life at sea, and now of his own free will 
gave up the command of the Virginia, resolved to spend the 
remainder of his days on shore. This ship returned from Am- 
sterdam in ballast, so that it required but a few clays to fit her 
for the voyage. I shipped two mates and a crew, and forth- 
with got ready for sea. I took Mr. Trowbridge, who was with 
me in the Henry and Isabella, as chief mate, and a Mr. Thomas 
Hardy, second mate, with a crew of ten men, who shipped by 
the run for City Point. Thus manned and equipped, we sailed 
from Sandy Hook on the 6th of July. The first day out we had 
light winds from the southward ; the next day the wind shifted 
to the N". E. and E. N. E., and continued to blow from that 
quarter for six days, which enabled us to get safe to City Point 
on the 14:th inst., eight days from New-York. The owner of 
the Virginia, Archibald Gracie, Esq., ordered me to proceed to 
City Point with the ship, and apply to Messrs. Gracie, Ander- 
son & Co., at Petersburg, Va., for a cargo of tobacco, with 
staves sufficient for dunnage. This tobacco was purchased 
during the long embargo, at a very low price ; I believe from 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 99 

one and a half to two dollars per hundred pounds. I lost no 
time in discharging the sand ballast, and taking in the cargo. 
I received on board 540 hogsheads for the owner, and ten for 
my own account. This ship had a large cabin, and as we had 
no passengers, I put my ten hogsheads into it. It was of a su- 
perior quality, and cost me, when on board, $615. 

The owner of the Virginia, Archibald Gracie, Esq., was 
one of the most liberal and benevolent men I ever knew. I 
always left him to make his own terms with respect to my 
wages and other perquisites, for nothing gave him more plea- 
sure than to see his captains, officers, and, in fine, all those in 
his employment, make money for themselves, as well as for 
him. As a proof of what I have here stated, he authorized 
me, at his own suggestion, to take ten hogsheads of tobacco for 
my private adventure. I was at this time but twenty-four years 
old, and had no expectations of such liberal allowance for my 
services. 

During my stay here, I got acquainted with several families 
some miles below City Point, generally planters, residing on 
the banks of the James River ; and I am happy to say I found 
them well bred, kind, generous, and without exception the most 
hospitable people I ever met with. When I sailed from City 
Point, I left these excellent people with much regret, and even 
down to the present day, often retrace the pleasant associations 
connected with the agreeable days spent on the banks of the 
river a few miles below City Point. 

On the 3d of August the ship was loaded, when I hired 
eight negroes, and proceeded with her clown to Hampton 
Roads, which occupied four days, and then went in a pilot- 
boat to Norfolk, where I shipped ten men at $28 per month. 
"When the embargo was taken off, there were so many vessels 
fitting out that seamen's wages became very high. After get- 
ting the men and all necessary sea-stores on board, we sailed 
from Norfolk, and left the Capes of Virginia on the 11th for 
Falmouth, England. We had a pleasant passage, without any 
remarkable occurrence, until we reached Lat. 47° 22' N., Long. 
49° W., where we experienced a severe gale from the N. N. W. 
It lasted only about six hours, but during that time the sea 



100 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 

washed away my stern-boat, stove the long-boat, swept away 
the waist boards, and split in pieces the maintopsail, with some 
other damage of less importance. After this, we had pleasant 
weather until we arrived at Falmouth, on the 11th of Septem- 
ber, just one month after leaving Norfolk. On my arrival I 
hired a shore boat for two guineas and a half, to take a letter 
on shore to Messrs. George Fox & Sons, and to bring back 
another from them. We stood off and on for about three or 
four hours, when the boat returned with a letter from Messrs. 
Fox & Sons, and also one from Messrs. Baring, Brothers & Co., 
of London, advising me to proceed up channel, and make the 
best of my way to Tonningen, calling at Heligoland for further 
information. After paying the boatman for taking my letter 
on shore and bringing off the others, I observed to him that it 
was better for him to take two guineas and a half (he having at 
first demanded five for this service), than to have refused it; 
for had he not complied with my offer, I certainly should have 
sent my own boat on shore, in which case he would have earned 
nothing. He replied in his provincial jargon, "Why, yees, 
maister, it is better for on, and better for we." 

The wind being fair, we proceeded up channel, keeping 
close in with the English coast, to avoid being detained by any 
men-of-war we might meet on the way. As the Virginia was 
an English built ship, she caused no suspicion. I passed very 
near several ships of war, who appeared not to notice us, taking 
her, as I suppose, for one of their own nation. I ran up channel 
as far as Dover, without having been spoken. Off this place, 
however, I was hailed by a man-of-war brig, ordered to heave 
to, and told that he would send his boat on board. I accord- 
ingly hove to, when, instead of sending a lieutenant and a mid- 
shipman on board as is customary, the captain came himself, 
with a midshipman. He examined my papers strictly, and 
said he was very much surprised that I had not been boarded by 
any British ship of-, war since I entered the channel. He did 
not intimate to me that he was captain of the brig, but from the 
great deference and respect paid him by the midshipman, I 
concluded he must be. I therefore ordered my second mate to 
ascertain from the coxswain of the boat whether the boarding 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 101 

officer was the captain or one of the lieutenants. Both he and 
the boat's crew confirmed my suspicions, and said the gentle- 
man in question was the captain of the brig. He hesitated 
some time, whether he should send me into some port in Eng- 
land, or let me go. At length, after a vexatious and scrutiniz- 
ing examination, I was allowed to proceed on my voyage to- 
wards Heligoland. 

At this period, there was no respect paid to the rights of 
neutral ships, either by England or France. On the contrary, 
it was almost a daily occurrence, that upon the slightest sus- 
picion, or even at the mere caprice of English naval command- 
ers, that American ships were sent into British ports, for adju- 
dication. Sometimes, they were condemned upon the most 
frivolous pretences, and if eventually cleared, their owners were 
subject to exorbitant charges and vexatious delays. Thus it often 
happened, that through this unjust and arbitrary interference 
with the rights of peaceful commerce by the two aforesaid bel- 
ligerent nations, many voyages were broken up and entirely 
ruined. The poor neutral ships were driven from pillar to post, 
treated with every kind of indignity, and could find no safety 
in any part of Europe, except in Russia. His Britannic Majesty, 
so called, was the great sea-robber, while the selfish and unjust 
Bonaparte, was the great land-robber; so that between them 
both, the whole world was laid under contribution to support 
and carry on their devastating wars. The world has been too 
long gulled and deceived by great names, and dazzled by what 
military men call glory. It is time to call things by their right 
names; for a king that takes any thing unjustly, is as much a 
robber as the captain of a band of brigands ; all the difference 
between them is, that the one robs on a great, and the other on 
a small scale. 

It is the legitimate duty of seamen to brave the tempest and 
the storm, and to look out for rocks and shoals by night and by 
day. These perils we can endure, but the injustice, oppression, 
and cupidity of our fellow-men, are trials which are hard to 
bear. 

After the detention by the English brig-of-war, we met with 



102 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 

no further interruption, nor any thing worth recording, until we 
arrived at Heligoland, on the 17th of September, seven days 
from Falmouth. Here I was detained two days in consequence 
of bad weather. This is a very singular little island. It be- 
longs to England, and is about twenty-five miles off the mouths 
of the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is about two miles long, and 
one and a half broad ; has no good harbor, but a roadstead, 
where there is tolerable anchorage during the summer season. 
Its shores are very abrupt and somewhat high. I should judge 
it was from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and eighty 
feet above the level of the ocean, and its face may be termed 
table-land from its smooth surface. It contains about 2000 in- 
habitants ; the richer classes inhabit the table-land, where they 
have a church, and rather a pretty town ; while the lower 
classes dwell in a dirty village on the shore below the hill ; they 
are mostly pilots and fishermen, with their families. All the 
porters are females ; they wear men's hats, and are a coarse, 
vulgar-looking race. There is no other way of getting from the 
lower to the upper town, but by winding wooden stairs, to 
ascend which is very inconvenient and fatiguing. I landed on 
the 19th of September at Heligoland, and had a letter of intro- 
duction from Messrs. Baring, Brothers & Co., of London, to Mr. 
A. Ellerman, merchant, at this place, desiring him to assist me 
in getting a pilot to take the ship into the river Eider. The 
pilots here are a vile set of extortioners, and would scarcely save 
a drowning man without pay ; in a word, they are a notorious 
set of unprincipled rascals. These fellows all charged me five 
hundred Spanish dollars to take my ship into the river, a dis- 
tance of say twenty-five to thirty miles, but after a great deal 
of chaffering one of them was persuaded, through the influence 
of Mr. E., to take the ship into the river for $400. Many ship- 
masters were obliged to pay for this service as high as $600, 
and in some instances even as high as one thousand. At this 
time there were several ships standing off and on the island, 
waiting to get pilots. Some would not pay the price asked, and 
knew not what to do. After I got one on board, as the wind 
was blowing strong from the westward, I filled away for the 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 103 

river's mouth. At this time the ship Brutus of New York, 
Capt. Macy, was standing off and on, but had fallen to leeward 
two or three miles, and was beating up to get a pilot from the 
island. I spoke him and inquired whether he had one ; found 
he had none. He asked me if I would allow him to follow my 
ship into the river, and said he would willingly pay half the 
pilotage. This was instantly agreed upon, when we filled away 
and stood directly for the river's mouth. We had not proceeded 
far before the pilot began to grumble, and swear that he would 
not conduct two ships. I replied that he had nothing to do 
with the other, but to attend to mine, and that if she should 
touch the bottom, that moment he was a dead man. I then 
showed him a loaded pistol, and convinced him that I was 
ready to carry out the threat ; this seemed to cool down the 
fellow's courage, and induced him to plead for my intercession 
with the captain of the Brutus to give him a handsome present. 
The wind continued fair, and the weather clear enough to see 
our way into the mouth of the river, which is very narrow, with 
dismal sand-banks on either side. In about four hours after the 
pilot came on board we were safely anchored inside, on the 18th 
of September, 37 days from Norfolk. It soon became very 
thick and dark, and during the whole night blew a severe gale 
from the westward directly on shore. While the wind and sea 
were roaring terribly outside, we lay safe and snug within the 
mouth of the narrow river, where the water was as smooth as a 
mill pond, protected and sheltered by sand-banks on every side. 
None but a seaman can fully realize the joy and delight it gives 
one to run from a stormy lee shore into a safe port. The feel- 
ing of conscious security, contrasted with the exposure to the 
tempest and the howling of the storm, is absolutely indescrib- 
able. 

Early the next morning the ship was taken up to Vollerick, 
and moored in the river. This place is about live miles below 
Tonningen. By my orders from Messrs. Baring, Brothers & 
Co., I employed Peter Todson, Esq., of this place, as our com- 
mercial agent. I found here a great number of American ships 
— I think from forty to fifty sail. Tonningen is a small, insig- 



104 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 

nificant place, about seventy miles from Hamburg, and only 
brought into notice from the fact of the many restrictions on 
commerce by England and France. Both these nations, at this 
time, acted upon the principle of forcing all others to take part 
in their quarrels, and not allow any of them to remain neutral. 
These vexatious restraints drove peaceful trade out of its natural 
and regular channels, to small fishing towns on the borders of 
large kingdoms and states. 

Agreeably to the orders of my owner, Archibald Gracie, 
Esq., I wrote to Messrs. Hope & Co., at Amsterdam, and to 
Messrs. Parish & Co., at Hamburg, advising them of my arrival, 
and that I was waiting their orders what to do with the cargo.. 
In answer to my letters, the latter gentleman wrote me to dis- 
charge the tobacco, and that Mr. Todson would forward it to 
Hamburg. I forthwith commenced unloading, and after this 
was accomplished, left the ship in charge of the chief mate, and 
took a public conveyance, with six other passengers, for Ham- 
burg. We traveled through Danish Holstein in wagons with- 
out springs, taking post-horses the whole route. "We frequently 
found the roads very rough, and were consequently jolted to 
our heart's content. The postilions are a dull, sluggish race 
'of biped animals, and jog along at the slow rate of about four 
English miles the hour. They are all inveterate smokers, and 
are never seen without pipes in their mouths. The face of the 
country is of a moderate height, rather undulating and generally 
pretty well cultivated. "We passed through several towns and 
villages of some note. The public houses and taverns in the 
towns along the road were tolerably well kept, and their prices 
reasonable. The inhabitants of Holstein are a hardy, good- 
looking race of men, with light hair and blue eyes, and I should 
think, generally a virtuous, industrious people. The greater 
portion of them are agriculturists, and they also raise large 
numbers of cattle and horses, which are sold in the adjacent 
states. "We left Tonningen at noon, traveled all night, and got 
to Hamburg the next morning. 

I was politely received by Messrs. Parish & Co., and soon 
felt at home in this agreeable city. These gentlemen confirmed 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 105 

in person what they had before written me, namely, that Mr. 
Grade's orders to them were, that the tobacco should be left in 
their hands, to be sold in Hamburg, and the avails remitted to 
London for his account ; that the ship should be ballasted with 
sand, and return without delay to New York. 

Hamburg is so well known, that it would be quite superflu- 
ous for me to say much on the subject. I will therefore only 
remark, that it lies on the north bank of the river Elbe, about 
sixty miles above its mouth. It is a great commercial city, and 
contains about 130,000 inhabitants. At this period it was gar- 
risoned by French troops, and had French doudriiers at the 
gates. 

I found Hamburg a gay, pleasant city — the living good and 
cheap, and altogether one of the most desirable residences for a 
young man that I am acquainted with. After spending about 
ten days in this delightful city, I returned to Tonningen by the 
same route I came. Before sailing from this place for home, I 
left in the hands of Messrs. Parish & Co. my ten hogsheads of 
tobacco, with a request to have them disposed of without delay, 
and the proceeds remitted to Samuel Williams, Esq., of London, 
subject to my order. 

I know not how much money Mr. Gracie realized by the 
five hundred and forty hogsheads of tobacco, but, judging from 
what I cleared on my ten hogsheads, he must have made a very 
great voyage. I am aware that the charges and expenses were 
very considerable ; still, considering the low price of the article 
when purchased in Petersburg, and the high price it sold for in 
Hamburg, I am confident it must have left a very large profit. 
I believe this quality of tobacco was worth at this time, in Ham- 
burg, from $16 to $20 per hundred pounds. Besides the large 
profit on the sale of the tobacco, there was also a great gain on 
the exchange between England and the United States. 

As our cargo was in great demand, it was soon sold, and the 
proceeds remitted to London. At Tonningen, ships are bal- 
lasted with great facility, and at a moderate expense. Thus, at 
high water, they anchor large lighters on a clean sand-bank, 
and at low tide load them with shovels ; and when they float, 



106 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 

the lighters are taken alongside of the ship, and soon dis- 
charged. 

As a proof of my remarks on the rapacious character of the 
Heligoland pilots, I will relate an incident which occurred dur- 
ing my stay here. Several of these pilots having rescued an 
American sailor from, drowning, called the same day on the 
American captains in this port to pay them for this service. To 
prevent any evil consequences that might arise, we made up a 
purse of ten dollars, and presented it to these unconscionable 
extortioners. 

After lying in this port forty-seven days, we sailed, on the 
4th of November, for New York, in company with ten or fifteen 
sail of ships and vessels bound mostly to England and the United 
States. We took our departure from Heligoland, and were fa- 
vored with a fine fresh gale at E. and E. 1ST. E., and clear, pleas- 
ant weather for four days. I steered directly for Fair Island 
passage, and three days after leaving Heligoland, made and 
passed this island, one of the Orkneys. The next day the wind 
shifted to the S. "W., and continued to blow from that quarter 
for several days. As I could not weather Ireland by tacking, I 
concluded to stand on to the 1ST. W., and wait for a change of 
wind to the "W". N. W. Although it was now about the middle 
of November, and the days were very short, still I continued 
on the same tack until I got within two days' sail of Iceland, 
when, to my great joy, the wind shifted to the N. "W"., and then 
I made a glorious run, and got soundings on the banks of New- 
foundland in seven days. After this fortunate run, I met with 
variable winds and weather — sometimes fair and sometimes foul 
— until I arrived at New York, on the 16th of December, forty- 
two days from Tonningen. Some of the ships that left in com- 
pany with us, bound to the United States, passed through the 
English Channel, and some few went through Fair Island pas- 
sage. 

The winter was uncommonly severe, with almost constant 
gales from the westward. On my arrival at New York, not one 
of the vessels had arrived ; some of those that passed through 
the English Channel were compelled to put into England to refit 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP VIRGINIA. 107 

and repair damages. I claim no merit in making a shorter pas- 
sage than the ships that sailed when I did, as it certainly grew 
out of the circumstances of the case ; the same course taken on 
another passage from the same place, might perhaps prove a 
complete failure. After discharging and paying off the officers 
and seamen, I again returned to my native home ; and am hap- 
py to add, that I made a good voyage both for myself and own- 
ers, and believe that all parties interested were satisfied. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

FIRST VOYAGE IN THE PILOT-BOAT SCHOONER ELIZA, FROM NEW YORK 
TO TONNINGEN, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEAR 1810. 

I remained a few weeks with my mother and friends in Con- 
necticut, and then returned to ]STew York, where I found the 
ship Virginia had been sold, and was loading with a cargo of 
flax-seed for Ireland. My late employer, Mr. Gracie, had no 
other ship at the moment that required a captain, or in other 
words, there was no vacancy for me to fill at this time, and be- 
ing very desirous of employment, I was ready to embrace the 
first fair offer. Messrs. Isaac Moses & Sons, a very respectable 
commercial house in this city, had lately purchased a new pilot- 
boat schooner called the Eliza. This vessel was built in Con- 
necticut, and measured one hundred and fifty-two tons. I took 
the command of her on the 12th of February, and commenced 
loading for Tonningen. Our cargo consisted of one hundred 
and forty two large chests of indigo, one hundred bales of cot- 
ton, several tons of logwood, and sundry other valuable articles 
of less bulk. We finished loading the schooner on the 5th of 
March, and were soon ready for sea. I took with me my for- 
mer mate, Mr. Stephen Trowbridge, six men and a cook. One 
of the crew was my brother, James Coggeshall, a lad of fifteen 
years. We sailed from New York on the 10th of March, were 
favored with fresh and fair gales from the westward for several 
days, had a fine run off the coast, and were once more on the 
bosom of the broad Atlantic. All around us was one vast ex- 
panse of deep blue water, and all above us beautiful azure sky, 
with occasional changes of light and shade as the sun shone out 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 109 

or was obscured by passing clouds. It is true there is much 
monotony at sea, and the same daily routine of duty to be per- 
formed ; still, to the contemplative mind there is much to ad- 
mire, and many grand objects to view, both by night and by 
day, to exalt and elevate the mind to higher scenes than those 
connected with our little earth, which, in comparison with the 
revolving worlds around us, is but a point or speck in the uni- 
verse. 

Thus far on our passage nothing occurred worthy of notice, 
until the 20th, on the tenth day from New York, when on the 
eastern edge of the grand bank of Newfoundland, in lat. 46° N"., 
Ion. from 50° to 47° W., at 10 o'clock at night we fell in with im- 
mense quantities of field ice, and before we were aware of our 
situation, were completely surrounded and blocked in on every 
side. The wind was light from the W. 1ST. W., and the sea 
smooth. I shortened sail, hauled up to the S. E., and during 
the night made but little distance ; at daylight, March the 21st, 
there was nothing to be seen but one vast field of ice as far as 
the eye could extend. I continued on the same course during 
the day, working through it the best way we could, sometimes 
going at the rate of two or three miles the hour, at other times 
making no headway at all for an hour or two, fearing constantly 
that our little vessel would be crushed, by forcing her through 
the dense masses of ice. Just before night we providentially 
got into an open space free from it. This space of open sea was 
perhaps three miles in circumference ; here I resolved to remain 
all night, deeming it more safe and prudent than to pursue our 
course in doubt and darkness. In this little harbor we rested 
for the night, tacking about under easy sail. The next morning 
at daylight, I could see from aloft nothing but fields of ice, as 
on the preceding day. We therefore concluded to pursue our 
S. E. course, and work through it by gently forcing the schooner 
along with the sails, while the crew pried the ice from the bows 
of the vessel with oars and boat-hooks. The weather was very 
cold, and it was a dreary sight to behold these frozen fields, and 
no open sea. While struggling through these compact masses, 
we saw a great number of seals sporting and crawling about the 
ice cakes, apparently happy and contented, at home, in their 



110 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

own native element. About noon this clay the ice became less 
dense, and we found more open sea ; at 4 p. m. we were quite 
free from field ice, made more sail, and were enabled to steer 
more to the eastward. We ran all night to the E. S. E. under 
easy sail, and the next morning at daylight, March the 23d, saw 
no more field ice, but what was much more grand and sublime, 
immense numbers of large icebergs ; some of them I should 
judge were two or three hundred feet long, and from seventy to 
eighty feet above the surface of the water. We sailed through 
these islands all the forenoon, and at 3 p. m., on the 24th, to our 
great joy entirely lost sight of them, feeling ourselves fortunate 
in escaping from our late perilous situation. 

On a fine day, when the sun shines out bright and clear, 
icebergs are grand and imposing objects; when seen at a dis- 
tance they appear like a large fleet of ships under full sail, and 
when drawing nearer to them, are still more beautiful. They 
are formed in every variety of shape, and with a little 
help of the imagination, appear like crystal palaces and float- 
ing castles, constructed in every style of architectural elegance. 
Others again have very grotesque forms, appear like huge 
animals supporting each other on their backs, and thus form 
a very interesting spectacle. 

The Eliza was a good, strong little vessel, or she would 
inevitably have been lost ; the ice raked the oakum out of the 
seams, and made her leak a little ; it also tore the cutwater 
from the stem, with some* other trifling damage', but nothing to 
render her unsafe to perform her destined voyage. 

Eive years previous to this period, not far from where we 
fell in with the field ice, Capt. Eichard Law of New London 
lost the ship Jupiter of New York. I herewith insert an .ac- 
count of this melancholy catastrophe, which I have extracted 
from a newspaper of that clay. Capt. Law was an old friend 
of mine, and a most worthy, excellent man. The Jupiter 
was from London, bound to New York; nothing occurred 
worthy of notice until the morning of the 6th of April, 1805, 
when in lat. 43° N. Ion. 49° W. they fell in with numerous 
icebergs. They were compelled to make their way among 
them the best way they could, tacking for one and keeping 



FIEST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. Ill 

away for another, until obliged to shorten sail, and steer wher- 
ever they could find an open passage through the broken ice. 
During the whole day Captain Law never left the deck, and 
by great vigilance managed through the day to preserve the 
ship from injury. At nightfall their situation was truly appal- 
ling ; large masses of ice were floating, and dashing against their 
ill-fated vessel, until a blow from a block of ice penetrated 
the starboard bow, and fixed the doomed ship. Both pumps 
were rigged, but the water rushed in so fast that it was soon 
found the ship was sinking, and their only resource was to 
take to their boats with as little noise as possible, so as not to 
alarm the passengers below. Accordingly thirty-eight men, wo- 
men, and children, embarked in the long-boat, which was then 
given in charge to the second mate. The captain, chief mate, 
one seaman, and five cabin and steerage passengers got into 
the jolly-boat, and pushed oft" to avoid being carried down with 
the ship ; one young man who had a mother and sister in the 
cabin, nobly refused to go into the boat, preferring to die w ;f h 
his friends rather than survive them. 

Twenty-seven passengers were asleep below, and as the 
boats were already full, they wisely judged it best to let them 
remain ignorant of their fate. In their haste to leave the ship, 
they had only time to take a bottle of water and a few trifling 
eatables. In half an hour after the boats left, the waters closed 
over the unfortunate ship and every soul on board. 

The long-boat took the yawl in tow, during all that night 
and a part of the next day, during which time they were 
struggling through the ice, and suffering intensely from hunger 
and cold. After getting into clear water, the jolly-boat was 
cut loose, when they separated, and saw no more of each other. 
On the 9th, three days after leaving the ship, Captain Law 
and his fellow-sufferers were picked up by the fishing schooner 
Joanna, Capt. Henry Quiner, and carried to Marblehead. 
It was long before any intelligence was received from those 
in the long-boat; they were, however, taken up on the 9th 
of April (the same day on which Captain Law and his party were 
rescued by the Joanna) by an outward-bound ship, and carried 
to London. 



112 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

From this period to our making the Island of Bona, off the 
N". "W. coast of Scotland, on the 10th of April, we had nothing 
but severe gales and stormy weather; in fact, it was the most 
boisterous passage I had ever experienced up to this time. The 
next day after making Rona, I saw the north coast of Scotland 
about Cape "Wrath. Here I spoke the ship Pilgrim, Captain 
Littlefield, last from St. Sebastian, bound to Tonningen ; the 
Pilgrim had been a long time at sea, and was short of provisions, 
particularly bread. The captain said he had lost his stern-boat, 
and that his long-boat would not float ; he therefore requested 
me to send mine on board, and supply him with some necessary 
stores. I accordingly sent my boat to ascertain what he most 
wanted ; she soon returned with a polite note from the super- 
cargo, Mr. Depeyster, stating that the Pilgrim had been nearly 
four months from ~New York, and was in great want of almost 
every necessary of life. I then put into the boat three barrels 
of pilot bread, some hams, and a few bottles of Holland gin, and 
ordered the officer of the boat not to go alongside of the ship, 
but to go astern, and let them haul the bread and other articles 
on board over the taffrail, the sea being so high that I deemed 
it unsafe to go alongside. This order was promptly executed, 
when the boat returned and was hoisted in without accident. 

The Pilgrim was an eastern ship, I think from Portland or 
Portsmouth, and chartered in ]STew York, from whence she 
sailed. She touched off St. Sebastian, and after communicating 
with that place, was afraid to enter for fear of seizure, as Bona- 
parte had already laid his iron grasp upon several Americas., 
ships and their cargoes, while lying in that port ; thus situated, 
the supercargo concluded to proceed to Tonningen, and was 
now on his way thither. I hailed the Pilgrim again, and in- 
quired of the captain whether he felt disposed to run for the 
Pentland Firth ; he replied that he was unacquainted with the 
passage, and dare not attempt it. I told him I had a fine chart 
of the Firth, and a good book of directions ; still he concluded 
not to venture so dangerous a passage. The wind was now at 
N. N. E. and 1ST. E., and to beat up to Fair Island passage 
would, in all probability, be a long and tedious business, and 
thus, after mutual good wishes, we separated. I immediately 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 113 

filled away with a free wind for the Pentland Firth, and he con- 
tinued to beat up for Fair Island. 

The next morning, April the 11th, I got down into the 
neighborhood of the passage. The wind being light at N. E. 
and the ebb tide running out of the North Sea against us, 
I hauled in shore not far to the westward of Duncansby 
Head, and there ran into a little bay to keep out of the 
strength of the current, until the change of the tide. Here 
I was boarded by a boat, with six oarsmen and a Patroou, 
bound to South Ronaldsha; he inquired whether I wanted a 
pilot to take me through the Firth, I answered that depended 
upon the price. From my experience with Heligoland pilots, I 
was cautious, and fearing extortion, demanded the price to take 
me through the Firth ; he said he would charge but a guinea 
and a half, I told him to come on board, that I would willingly 
give him two. I recollect the name of the Patroon or captain 
of the boat was Pitcairn, a very intelligent, clever fellow, and, 
like the generality of his countrymen, very candid, honest, and 
sincere. Soon after, the tide began to make in our favor, when 
we sailed out into the middle of the passage to have its full 
benefit; the wind became very light and the current so strong 
that we had no command of the vessel. At this moment it 
appeared as though the current was setting the schooner 
directly on to Duncansby Head, a high, bold, abrupt cape, 
which in our situation had a most terrific appearance. On my 
expressing my fears to the pilot, he said there was no kind of 
danger ; that before we got to the head, the current would carry 
us off again in safety. On the other side of the Firth, are 
several small islands, called the Pentland Skerries, and after 
passing Duncansby Head, I began to fear these rocky islands ; 
but here again the pilot assured me that I need be under no ap- 
prehension, that the strength of the current would take me 
directly through the passage, and that it was about time for him 
to leave us. He then inquired whether I would pay him in 
rum ; I asked what rum was worth a gallon ; he said a guinea. 
I accordingly gave him two gallons, with a quantity of bread, 
beef, etc., and we parted mutually satisfied. 
8 



114 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

I have never before or since seen the current run so rapidly 
as in this passage ; at times it roars like distant thunder, and not 
having on hand any books to refer to on the subject, I am afraid 
to state its rate of running ; but am under the impression that at 
the full and change of the moon, that is to say, at spring tides, 
its force is eight or ten miles the hour. After the pilot left us, 
I made sail with a pleasant breeze from the N". E. and in six days 
got to Heligoland ; there I readily obtained a pilot at a moder- 
ate price, say about fifty dollars, and came safe to anchor in the 
Eider, at the port of Tonningen, on the 17th of April, thirty- 
seven days from New York. I will here observe that the Pil- 
grim did not get here until about a month after, and that fears 
were expressed for her safety. On her arrival, the supercargo 
told me they had been on short allowance of bread for several 
days ; and both he and the captain expressed a great deal of 
gratitude for the supply of bread and other things they had re- 
ceived from me. ' 

On my arrival, I wrote to Joshua Moses, Esq., one of the 
owners of the Eliza, and also to Messrs. Parish & Co., at Ham- 
burg, advising them of my being here, and in a few days got 
answers from these gentlemen, requesting me to delay entering 
the schooner at the custom house for some days, as they had not 
decided whether to dispose of the cargo at Hamburg, or to pro- 
ceed through the canal to Kiel, or some other port in the Baltic. 
The markets here were not so good for colonial produce as on 
my last voyage, which caused Mr. Moses to delay selling for 
several weeks. On the 11th of May, however, I received a let- 
ter from him informing me that he had sold the indigo, de- 
liverable in Tonningen, and appointed Mr. Joachim Lexon, as 
our commercial agent ; that he wished the cargo all landed as 
soon as possible, and that he had purchased some portion of our 
return cargo. We accordingly discharged the schooner without 
delay, and took on board a quantity of iron ballast. 

A few days after the schooner was discharged, Mr. Moses 
arrived here from Hamburg, and politely invited me to return 
with him to that city, and aid him in the purchase of our return 
cargo, for the New York market. I knew very little about the 



FIEST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 115 

selection of French and German goods, and of course received 
the invitation to spend a week or ten days in Hamburg as a 
compliment from Mr. Moses, who was always polite and gentle- 
manly, and treated me more like a friend and companion, than 
a hired captain in his employ. He had with him his own post- 
chaise, and always travelled like a gentleman. "We took post- 
horses on the road, and had a very pleasant jaunt to Hamburg. 
I had been here on my last voyage, in the ship Virginia, and 
having been absent only about six or eight months, found no 
difficulty in renewing my former acquaintance with my com- 
mercial friends, besides receiving much hospitality from my 
forme/ consignees, Messrs. Parish & Co. Mr. Moses introduced 
me to several other mercantile houses, by whom we were 
politely entertained ; and thus I had the pleasure to spend ten 
days very satisfactorily in this agreeable city. Although the 
German is the language of this place, still a stranger has no 
difficulty in communicating with a great portion of the inhabit- 
ants. From its extensive commerce all the modern languages 
are spoken here : all the large dealers and most of the shop- 
keepers, speak two or three tongues, namely, German, French 
and English, and frequently Spanish and Italian. 

I often dined with merchants and their families, during my 
stay here, and have been delighted to hear their children con- 
verse with several captains and supercargoes of different nations, 
each in their own language. In all my travels about the world, 
I have never found a people acquire foreign languages with so 
much facility as the Germans. After Mr. Moses had made all 
his purchases, and dispatched his goods to Tonningen, I return- 
ed in a post-wagon, by the same road we came, and arrived safe 
on the 15th of May. The goods purchased in Hamburg consist- 
ed of glass-ware, German liuens, French silks, etc., etc., and al- 
together amounted to one hundred and fifty-two bales and pack- 
ages. A large portion of these goods was very valuable, and 
very much wanted at this time in the United States. We fin- 
ished loading our schooner on the 4th, and after waiting about 
a week for a fair wind, sailed on the 11th of June, bound for 
New York, making our stay here just fifty-four days. We took 
the northern route, viz., through Fair Island passage, and met 



116 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

with nothing worth remarking, until we arrived at New York, 
on the 23d of July, forty-three days from Tonningen. All our 
return cargo sold well, and the little schooner made an excellent 
voyage. Through the advice and assistance of Mr. Moses, I pur- 
chased while in Hamburg a quantity of French and German 
goods, for my own private adventure, which paid a very large 
profit. The voyage was soon settled, to the satisfaction of all 
parties concerned, and I again returned to my native place in 
Connecticut. 



CHAFrER XVII. 

SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA, FROM NEW YORK TO SWEDEN 
AND RUSSIA, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEARS 1810 AND 1811. 

I had but a fortnight's leisure with ray mother and sister in Mil- 
ford, before I received a letter from my employers, Messrs. Moses 
& Co., informing me that they had decided on sending the Eliza 
on another voyage to the north of Europe, and requesting me to 
return to New York, and commence loading with as little delay 
as possible. I therefore lost no time, but forthwith returned, 
and commenced loading the schooner, for Gottenburg and a 
market. Our cargo consisted of Havana sugar, coffee, rum, se- 
gars, nankeens and a variety of other valuable articles. 

I took with me my former mate, Mr. Trowbridge, and also 
my brother James — 'the remainder of the crew were strangers. • 

On the 30th of August "\ve were ready, and sailed the next 
day, with a light breeze from the N. 1ST. E., with open, cloudy 
weather. The wind was light during the day, and the ocean 
uncommonly smooth, so that we did not lose sight of the High- 
lands of Neversink until dark. We ran off to the E. S. E., and 
soon got clear of the coast. We were favored with southerly 
and westerly winds, and generally fine weather, as is usual at 
this season of the year. 

Nothing 'worthy of remark occurred until the 11th of Sep- 
tember, on the eleventh day from New York, when we got 
soundings in forty fathoms of water, on the grand bank of New- 
foundland. After this, we continued to have fair westerly winds, 
until we reached the longitude 23° west ; here the wind shifted 
to the S. E., and blew violently from that quarter for several 



118 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

hours. It soon raised a high sea, and then gradually subsided 
to a calm, when, for want of wind to steady her, our little schoon- 
er was terribly tossed about for the space of two hours. After 
that, the wind suddenly returned to the IS". W., and blew a per- 
fect hurricane. "We shipped a sea, which washed the binnacle 
and compasses overboard, and many light things from the deck. 
I was driven with great force into the lee-waist, and came very 
near being washed overboard. The wind split our mainsail and 
jib in pieces, and blew with such violence that we were obliged 
to lie to for eight hours, under a double-reefed foresail. 

We were now nineteen days out, and had thus far made 
good progress on our passage. The next day it became more 
moderate, when we again made sail, with the wind at W. and 
N. W. It continued favorable for four days, when we made 
the island of Barra, bearing S. S. E., distant about four leagues, 
twenty-three days from New York. Soon after, we saw Bona 
Island. Barra and Bona are two high, rocky islands, not far 
asunder, lying off the N. W. coast of Scotland, in latitude 59° 
north, and longitude about 6° 15' west. The next day we saw 
the light-house on North Ronaldsha, six miles distant. Fair 
Island bore at this time east about twenty miles. The next day, 
September the 26th, at noon, passed quite near Fair Island — 
I should think within a mile of its south shore. Two boats full 
of men came alongside and supplied us with fish ; they were a 
poor, miserable looking race, and filthy to the last degree. They 
informed me that there were about three hundred souls on the 
island, who subsisted by catching fish, now and then gaining a 
few dollars by piloting ships through the passage, and sometimes 
selling a few eggs, stockings, &c. It is a very small island — 
perhaps two miles long and one broad — of a moderate height, in 
latitude 59° 29' north ; longitude, 1° 47' west. We had light 
winds from the southward for two days, when we made the land 
about Stowenger, in Norway, sixty miles from the Naze, bear- 
ing from E. N. E. to S. E., distant eleven or twelve leagues. 

On the 1st of October the weather was clear and fine, with 
light winds from the southward ; a fleet of ships and brigs passed 
us, standing to the eastward ; saw the land about the Naze of 
Norway, bearing N. E. The next day saw the land, about thir- 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 119 

ty-five miles to the southward and westward of the Skaw Point, 
in Jutland ; at noon this day, the Skaw light-house bore S. "W". 
two leagues distant. The next day, made Wingo Island, bearing 
E. S. E., two leagues distant ; at 6 p. m., took in sail and hauled 
off shore, it being too late to go into port ; stood off and on all 
night. At 9 a. m., October 4th, we procured a pilot, and at 10 
a. m. came to anchor in the port of Gottenburg, about twelve 
miles from the city. While off this port we found our rudder 
was out of order, and worked with great difficulty. After coming 
to anchor we examined it, and discovered that one of the copper 
pintals was broken. I felt myself fortunate to get into port 
without its entire loss. "We were soon visited by the health-boat, 
and though all well, were requested to proceed immediately to 
the quarantine ground, and remain there until further orders. 
We found the quarantine a small, snug harbor, four fathoms deep, 
and nearly surrounded with high rocks. 

The next day we were again visited by the health-boat and 
liberated from quarantine, after a day's detention. I now wrote 
to Mr. Moses, who was at this time residing at Copenhagen, and 
also to the house of Parish & Co. at Hamburg, advising them of 
my arrival, and stating that I should wait their orders where to 
proceed. I concluded to let the schooner remain in this little 
harbor until I could repair the rudder. For this purpose I un- 
shipped it, and got a new pintal made in Gottenburg. After it 
was repaired and ready, I took sufficient cargo out of the run 
and after-part of the vessel and placed it forward, so that 1 was 
enabled to ship the rudder without discharging the schooner. 
When I again returned to the inner port of Gottenburg, six miles 
from the town, there were lying there several English line of 
battle ships, frigates and sloops of war. Many merchant ships 
of different nations were daily arriving at this place of rendez- 
vous to proceed up the Categat and Baltic. The flag-ship at 
this port was the Victory, Admiral Sir James Sonmarez. The 
merchant vessels had been collecting for several weeks, and as 
this was the last convoy into the Baltic for the season, a great 
number of them of all descriptions had assembled — I believe at 
least six hundred sail. The whole of this vast fleet were nom- 
inally neutral ships, sailing under the different flags of nearly all 



120 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

the petty states of Germany, and their cargoes purporting to be 
the bona fide property of their respective countries, while in 
point of fact, the most of them were English property, cloaked 
or covered by the flags of these different nations by simulated or 
counterfeit papers. I was told at this period that it was an 
every day occurrence in London to manufacture false papers 
and invoices, and that an entire set of simulated papers for a 
ship, could be procured for 10 guineas, and so adroitly executed 
that it was difficult to detect them. 

On the continent, Bonaparte was striving to carry out his 
plan to conquer England, by cutting off all their commerce with 
Europe. He accordingly prohibited the introduction of all 
British goods, and their colonial productions, and frequently or- 
dered a quantity of English manufactured goods to be burnt on 
the public squares in the different towns and cities on the con- 
tinent. He said they were a nation of money-loving shop- 
keepers, devoid of honor or integrity, and the most effectual 
way to subdue them, was to annihilate their trade and commerce 
and thus create a revolution in England, so that they should de- 
stroy themselves by civil war. In England the government 
was compelled to sustain the manufactures to keep the working 
classes from idleness, riot and rebellion. The difficulty and 
risk of disposing of their manufactured articles on the continent 
of Europe, and the fear of seizure, compelled them to resort to 
every stratagem that human ingenuity could invent ; and yet, 
notwithstanding all these indirect expedients, their manufactured 
goods were constantly accumulating, and sales daily made at 
ruinous prices. 

A few days before we sailed from Gottenburg, an order was 
given for the captains of all neutral vessels to repair on board 
the flag-ship, for sailing orders or instructions how to sail in the 
fleet. Signals were given them to enable each one to comply 
with the order of sailing ; and, among others, several American 
captains went for written instructions. On applying to the first 
lieutenant, and telling him they were Americans, he discourte- 
ously said — You certainly have a great deal- of assurance to call 
on us for protection, when your country and government treat 
the British nation with offensive barbarity — prohibiting us the 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 121 

use of your harbors, and often refusing our ships-of-war water 
and fresh provisions. After this tirade, he gave them their sail- 
ing orders, and left them to repair on board, without the usual 
ceremony of seeing them leave the ship. 

When I heard this statement from my countrymen, I re- 
solved to ask for no orders. As mine was a fast-sailing schoon 
er, I knew I could choose my own position in the fleet, and 
could not believe them such barbarians as to drive me away 
from it. I therefore took the responsibility, and sailed with the 
rest, without a scrap of paper. 

None but those engaged in commerce at this period can at all 
realize the annoying persecutions neutral nations and their ships 
and commerce experienced from the English and French gov- 
ernments and their satellites. Although I suffered, in many in- 
stances, much ill treatment and vexatious detention, still I do 
not wish to exaggerate or amplify the subject ; all I desire is, 
to impress upon the minds of the present generation what their 
fathers have suffered, that they may know by comparison how 
to prize the privileges they so richly enjoy, namely, wealth, 
power, peace and prosperity. 

About ten days after my arrival, Mr. J. Moses came on here 
from Hamburg, and appointed Messrs. Martin, llatterman & 
Sons, of this place, as my commercial agents, to advance me all 
necessary funds, and assist me as business friends. Mr. M. 
advised me to proceed with the convoy through the Great Belt, 
then leave it, and push on for Carlsham in Sweden, where I 
would find letters directing me where to go from thence. Mr. 
M. then left Gottenburg for Kiel, to ascertain the state of the 
markets in Prussia, and whether American ships and goods 
would be free from seizure by the French, in the Baltic ports 
along the Prussian coast. He finally came to the conclusion 
that no American property was safe on the Prussian side of the 
Baltic ; and although very late in the season, under all the cir- 
cumstances of the case he thought it best for me to push on for 
some port in Russia. 

Gottenburg is too well known to require any particular de- 
scription from me. I will' therefore only make a few general 
remarks on the subject. In point of size, it is the second city 



122 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

in the kingdom of Sweden, and contains about thirty thousand 
inhabitants ; it has a spacious harbor, and lies in latitude 57° 
42' N., longitude 11° 58' E. of London, and about two hundred 
and sixty miles S. W. of Stockholm. The land about the har- 
bor and in the vicinity of the city appears rocky, rough and 
barren, still the valleys must be very fertile. I observed, while 
lying here, that besides supplying their city, and a large num- 
ber of their own ships and vessels, there were in this port a nu- 
merous fleet of English men-of-war, and some eight hundred 
sail of merchant ships, to be daily supplied with fresh provisions 
and vegetables, and still there was enough, and at very reason- 
able prices, besides fish in great abundance. 

We sailed on the morning of the 24th of October, bound to 
Carlsham, by the way of the Great Belt. At this time there 
was war between England and Denmark, which prevented the 
English from passing through the sound by Elsineur and Copen- 
hagen ; they were therefore compelled to go through the pas- 
sage between Zealand and Funen, called the Great Belt. This 
is a rocky and dangerous passage, not wide enough for a large 
number of ships to beat to windward, so that whenever the 
wind was contrary, the whole fleet immediately came to anchor, 
no matter how deep the water might be, or how rocky the bot- 
tom. The first day after leaving Gottenburg, we had light winds 
from the 1ST. E., and clear, pleasant weather. At meridian, Med- 
dengin light bore S. S. E., eight miles distant. ^The next day, 
Oct. 25th, the wind continued light, and the weather clear. At 
8 a. m., Anholt bore S. S. ~W\, five leagues distant. 

The schooner Eliza, being pilot-boat built, sailed remarkably 
fast, which enabled me to run ahead of the fleet, that is to say, 
all except the flag-ship St. George, of 74 guns ; this vessel led 
the van ; of course, no merchant vessel was allowed to go ahead 
of the admiral. I used often to amuse myself with speaking 
the American vessels — some eight or ten in number — and after 
passing the merchant ships, would then take in all sail, except 
the foretopsail, and thus, under very little canvas, had no diffi- 
culty in keeping up with the fleet. At night, the standing sig- 
nal was for the headmost ships to shorten sail and close convoy. 
It sometimes happened that one of the frigates was ordered to 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 12# 

make fast to a dull sailing ship, and tow her up into the midst 
of the fleet. The ordinary mode of sailing was thus : a line-of- 
battle-ship ahead to lead the van, one or two frigates astern, and 
a sloop-of-war, and a brig or two to protect the flanks or outside 
ships, those nearest the land on both sides of the passage. Not- 
withstanding all these precautions, the Danish boats would now 
and then intercept a straggler. 

One morning a gun-boat came out of a little port on the 
Zealand side, and endeavored to cut off a brig that had ven- 
tured a little too near the shore. The flag-ship immediately 
hauled up to protect her. To witness the firing, I ran my little 
schooner close under the stern of the St. George, seventy-four. 
I was forcibly struck with the daring bravery of the gallant 
Danes, and to see with what apparent nonchalance they re- 
garded cannon balls. The St. George was obliged to fire six or 
eight shot before the gun-boat could be induced to haul off and 
give up the chase. To my surprise, although the shot fell all 
around her, not one took effect. When the seventy-four drew 
too near, these brave fellows deliberately took to their oars and 
returned into port. I was often amused to see the merchant 
ships, at nightfall, huddle together ; they reminded me of a 
brood of chickens gathering around the parent hen for protec- 
tion. We used to anchor at night clustered together ; the men- 
of-war were stationed all around the fleet, to protect us from the 
privateers and gun-boats from out of the adjacent ports on both 
sides of the Great Belt. 

From the 25th to the 27th the winds continued light 
from the eastward, with fine weather. We usually anchored 
at six o'clock in the evening, and lay until daylight, generally 
in about ten to fifteen fathoms of water — the Jutland shore bear- 
ing from N. W. to W. S. W., eight miles distant. From the 
27th to the 29th we lay at anchor the greatest part of the time 
— the wind being ahead. At 6 a. m., on the 29th, all the fleet 
was ordered to get under way ; it was blowing strong at the 
time, with a high sea running, and so many ships crowded to- 
gether that I found it impossible to weigh our anchor, without 
getting foul of some other vessel; we were therefore obliged 
to cut the cable and lose the anchor, with the greater part 



'124 



SECOND VOYAGE IN" THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 



of the small bower. A great many vessels were similarly 
situated, and obliged to slip and cut, and make sail, to keep 
up with the convoy. I think, without the least exaggeration, 
I passed more than fifty buoys on anchors and cables that 
had been thus left. On the 30th we had fresh breezes at 
north-west, with squalls of hail and snow ; at 5 p. m., came to 
anchor in fifteen fathoms of water, where we lay all night. 
On the 31st we had light winds from the north-west 
and clear weather. At noon this day the east end of the 
Island of Ferneron bore S. "W. six miles distant ; during the 
whole day we only made five leagues, when we anchored 
for the night. On the 1st of November we got through 
the Belt passage ; I then left the fleet, and made sail alone 
for Carlsham. At 4 p. m. got abreast of Darshead ; at 5 
it bore S.W. eight miles distant ; at 6 p. m. saw Sand Hamsur 
Hills, on the coast of Sweden, bearing N. 1ST. ~W\, distant 
about eight miles — several sail in sight plying to windward ; 
during the night we had strong gales from the 1ST. E., with 
much hail and snow, attended with a bad sea. On the 2d 
we had strong gales from the "N. E., with violent squalls 
of hail, sleet and snow ; at 4 p. m. the Island of Bornholm 
bore south by compass, two leagues distant. Strong gales 
still at N. E. ; handed the topsail, got down the foreyard, 
and close reefed all the lower sails; violent gales, with 
snowy, cold weather, with a high cross-sea running through the 
day. On the 3d we had a continuation of the same N". E. .gale 
with a high sea running. At meridian, saw a bark near us, 
with her mainmast gone, just above the deck. They showed 
Swedish colors, and appeared to be in distress. I bore up, 
and ran under her lee, but could render her no assistance, 
as it was blowing a severe gale, and a very high sea on. At 
noon, saw Bornholm, again bearing S. E. by S., three leagues 
distant. 

The 4th commenced with a continuation of the same N. E. 
gale, and cold, snowy weather. Towards night it moderated, 
and shifted to the S. S. E., when we made sail and stood in 
for the Swedish coast. On the 5th it became more moderate ; 
wind at S. "W., but still cloudy and dark. At noon, spoke the 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 125 

ship Lyon, of Philadelphia, Captain Bainbridge, * from St. 
Petersburg, bound to New York. At 2 p. m. saw Bornholm 
again bearing E. by S., five leagues distant. On the 6th we 
had light winds and hazy weather. At six in the morning saw 
the Island of Hano, bearing N. IN". W. ; here we got a pilot, 
and at 2 p. m. came to anchor at Matwick Bay, in six fathoms 
of water. This is a snug little harbor, sheltered by high rocks 
on almost every side — a sort of outer port for the town of Carl- 
sham. In an adjacent one, a mile or two from where we 
lay, I saw lying at anchor an English seventy-four and two 
frigates. 

The newly appointed King of Sweden, Bernadotte, was 
daily expected at Stockholm. As it was uncertain what course 
of policy he would pursue in the great contest between Eng- 
land and France, this circumstance had created some difiiculty 
between England and Sweden, and though not absolutely at 
war, neither were they exactly at peace ; the English ships of 
war were then lying in the outer ports of Sweden, and had but 
little open intercourse with the towns and cities. While we lay 
here the officers of the English men-of-war frequently went on 
shore in plain dress, and passed themselves off as American 
captains and supercargoes. 

Carlsham is a small town of about 4000 inhabitants ; it has 
two churches, a hospital, and several manufactories of canvas 
and woollen goods ; its principal exports are timber, pine 
boards, pitch and tar. In the afternoon of the day of my arri- 
val, on the sixth of November, I went to Carlsham in a shore 
boat, delivered my letter of introduction to Messrs. William 
Schmid and Co., one of the principal mercantile houses at this 
place, and inquired for letters from Mr. Moses, but found none. 
I also endeavored to obtain a cable and anchor for the Eliza, 
but could find none of a suitable size in the town. On my re- 
turn in the evening of the same day, I found all the crew of my 
vessel, except the mate and steward, had been taken out of the 

* Captain William Bainbridge, of the United States Navy, afterwards Commodore 
Bainbridge, who so gallantly distinguished himself about three years after this 
period, by the capture and destruction of the British frigate Java, on the coast of 
Brazil, on the 29th of December, 1S13. 



126 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

schooner and sent on board the English seventy-four. This ship 
had sent a midshipman and ten men and had taken possession 
of my schooner. They had also seized my log-book, and all 
the papers they could find, and said they expected the vessel 
and cargo would prove a good prize to their ship. I of course 
was very much excited and vexed at such arbitrary proceed- 
ings, and expressed my anger very freely to the midshipman, 
who happened to be a fine young gentleman. He was mild 
and collected, and said he hoped I would not blame Mm, that it 
was no fault of his ; he was only acting in the line of his duty 
in obeying his superior officer. I saw he was right, and im- 
mediately apologized for what I had so hastily uttered. After 
we finally understood each other, he said it was too late to see 
the captain that night, it being then eight o'clock ; that he had 
gone on board one of the frigates to a card party, and that I had 
better delay going to see him until morning. 

Accordingly at nine o'clock the next morning, I repaired on 
board the seventy-four, and was told the captain was at break- 
fast ; I waited an hour, and then sent another message desiring 
to speak a few words with him ; the answer was, that he was 
making his toilet and could not be seen. At eleven I saw this 
bashaw coming out of his cabin ; he appeared to be going for- 
ward without noticing any body on his way. I was determined 
to speak to him, and advanced for that purpose ; without cere- 
mony I told him that my vessel had been taken by his order, 
and I would thank him if he would have the goodness to ex- 
plain the reason of my capture. He said, then you are, I sup- 
pose, the master of the schooner that came into this port yester- 
day. On my answering in the affirmative he said, I have not 
time to attend to the cause of your capture myself, but have 
appointed two of my officers to investigate your business. He 
then walked away forward, leaving me to look after the two 
gentlemen appointed to inquire into the legality of my voyage. 
After waiting on deck about an hour, I was requested to go 
below into the wardroom, where I found the purser and one of 
the lieutenants looking over my log-book, and examining and 
cross-questioning my sailors about the voyage from the time of 
our leaving New York until we arrived at Carlsham. 



SECCXND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK ELIZA. 127 

After getting through, with the seamen, they then com- 
menced with me. I told them my story was a short one, and 
required no lawyer to state it ; that I was an American, that 
my vessel and cargo were American property, that I came 
under convoy of an English fleet from Gottenburg through the 
Belt passage, had there left it, and put into Carlsham for letters, 
and furthermore that my cargo was a valuable one, and from 
the lateness of the season I was extremely anxious to sail on the 
morrow, and should do so the moment they released my vessel 
and cargo from seizure. On the contrary, if they did not at 
once give me back my schooner, I would abandon the vessel 
and cargo to my captors, forthwith repair with my mate to 
Carlsham, and there protest against their unlawful proceed- 
ings. The two grave inquisitors then retired into the cabin, 
and after a long consultation returned and said their captain 
had decided to release my vessel, and gave an order to recall 
the midshipman and seamen, and allow me to sail when I 
thought proper. Thus after having been detained a night and 
a day without the slightest cause, I was graciously permitted to 
proceed on my voyage. I deem it unnecessary to comment 
much on the treatment I received at the hands of the captain 
of this seventy-four gun ship, who being clothed with a little 
brief authority, rendered it necessary for us, poor merchant 
captains, to submit at this time to almost every kind of indig- 
nity, without any possible means of redress. I have merely 
given a simple statement of facts, and will leave my country- 
men and all other neutral nations to judge for themselves, of 
the propriety of such arbitrary proceedings. 

Being liberated from seizure in the afternoon of November 
the 7th, I returned to Carlsham, where I found letters from 
Mr. Moses, then at Copenhagen, advising me to make the best 
of my way to Riga, and that he would meet me at that place. 

The next day, I bought a quantity of fresh provisions, sea 
stores, etc., while my crew were employed repairing sails and 
making other necessary preparations ; the winter season was 
fast approaching, and I was very anxious to sail. On the 9th I 
came on board and got ready for sea. I had a poor, inefficient 
crew, and was destined to encounter a cold, stornvy passage up 



128 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

the Baltic, a voyage which should never be undertaken at this 
late season of the year except from dire necessity. 

The next day, at ten in the morning we got under way, 
with a light air from the eastward, and stood out to sea. 

On the 11th, the wind continued light from the E. S. E., 
with dark, cloudy weather; at 4 p. m., the island of Hano bore 
west, two miles distant, several sail in sight standing down the 
Baltic. Towards night. the wind increased to a fresh breeze 
from the eastward. Still plying to windward ; at six in the 
evening, saw the Clipper Rocks, bearing E. by 1ST. at a dis- 
tance of six miles. I find here about one point and a half 
westerly variation of the compass. During the night the wind 
continued at E. and E. IS". E., with a bad head sea running. 
On the 12th, the wind blew a fresh gale from the same quarter, 
with dark, gloomy weather, with sleet and snow ; double reefed 
the sails and continued to ply to windward ; at noon, saw the 
Clipper Rocks again, bearing IS", by E. two leagues off; during 
the latter part of the day and throughout the night, we had 
strong gales from the eastward, with heavy squalls of rain and 
hail. On the 13th, we had a continuation of the same winds, 
but with more sea and worse weather. Still plying to the east- 
ward under a three-reefed mainsail and foresail, violent squalls 
of hail and snow, with a high sea. At noon, the wind shifted 
to the northward, when it cleared np a little, and we saw 
the Prussian coast bearing E. S. E. five leagues distant ; during 
the remainder of this day and through the night the winds 
were variable, and the weather cold and stormy with consider- 
able snow. My sailors were so worn down with fatigue and ex- 
haustion, that I removed the few that were able to perform their 
duty into the cabin, and allowed the sick and disabled ones to 
remain shut up in the forecastle during the remainder of the 
passage. I daily supplied them with such food and nourish- 
ment as I could procure, under the circumstances in which we 
were placed. 

The 14th commenced with strong gales from the 1ST. E. and 
much sea ; in the afternoon of this day saw the Prussian coast 
again, bearing S. S. E. about twelve miles distant ; the wind a 
little more moderate, but the weather dark and cold, with 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 129 

squalls of snow ; found it necessary to take the main and flying 
jibs into the cabin to repair. About midnight the wind shifted 
to the N. K W. 

On the 15th and 16th instants, we had a continuation ot 
gales from almost every point of the compass, with cold, snowy 
weather. I continued to beat to the eastward to get into the Gulf 
of Livonia ; at noon on the 16th, made "Wmdau Church, bear- 
ing K. E. twelve miles distant, when the weather cleared up so as 
to enable me to get an observation of the sun. I found our lat- 
itude to be 57° 16' north, and the longitude 22° 30' east of London. 

This was the first time I had been able to get the sun's alti- 
tude at noon, since we left Carlsham. On the 17th, the weather 
was a little better ; the wind being at S. E. it became clear and 
comparatively pleasant. At 1 p. m. got abreast of Windau ; at 
4 ditto Lyserct bore south six miles distant. At six p. m. Dage- 
rot light bore 1ST. !N". E. nine miles distant. I still kept plying 
to windward to get into the Gulf of Livonia, tacking every two 
or three hours as we found it necessary. Towards night the 
weather became dark and gloomy, with strong gales at E. S. E. ; 
double-reefed the lower sails and handed the topsail. At 6 p. 
m. sounded in five fathoms of water ; strong gales at E. S. E. 
during the night with very thick weather. The 1 8th commenced 
with a continuation of the same easterly gales and snow-squalls, 
with a short, bad sea running. At 2 p. m. Domeness lights bore 
S. E. by S. four miles distant. I saw a brig and a galliot lying 
at anchor under the lee of Domeness Point ; we still continued 
to ply to windward, tacking every two hours. At 8 p. m., 
Domeness light bore S. W. eight miles distant. During the 
night we had strong gales at E. S. E. with sleet and snow. 

The 19th commenced with fresh gales at S. E. with snowy 
weather ; at 6 in the afternoon, we made Runo light, bearing 
S. E. three miles distant ; sounded in four fathoms of water. 
During the night we had light winds from the southward, and 
very cold weather ; at this time we had much ice on deck and 
about the sails and rigging. At 2 a. m. we came to anchor in 
seven fathoms of water, where we lay until daylight, namely, 
at 7 o'clock. "We then weighed anchor and made sail with a 
light breeze from the S. S. E., and commenced beating up the 
9 



130 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

Gulf to gain our port of destination. November the 20th, the 
first part of this day we had fresh breezes from the S. S. "W., 
and foggy weather with a little rain. At 2 o'clock in the after- 
noon got off the mouth of the river Dwina ; here we took a 
pilot, and in half an hour afterwards came to anchor at the 
Boldera, after a passage of nine days from Carlsham, and cer- 
tainly one of the most boisterous and disagreeable I ever made. 
Two days after I arrived here, the harbor at the Boldera was 
entirely closed, so much so, that I walked around my vessel on 
the ice with perfect safety. In our case, a kind Providence 
seemed to guide and protect us during the whole of this long 
and arduous voyage. Had I been two days later, I could not 
have entered the river Dwina, but should have inevitably been 
frozen up for the winter, in the Gulf of Livonia. 

All the papers appertaining to the schooner Eliza and her 
cargo, were forthwith sent up to St. Petersburg, for investiga- 
tion. I found lying in this port eight American vessels ; the 
most of them had arrived here in September and October ; their 
papers had all been sent up to St. Petersburg for examination. 
In fact I may say we were all under a kind of sequestration, 
and unable to discharge or dispose of our cargoes. I learned 
that a great many American ships had been taken and sent into 
different places, some to Stralsund and Callemburg and others 
into ports higher up the Baltic. The ship Atlantic, of ISTew 
York, left Gottenburg under the same convoy with myself, and 
after getting through the Belt was captured by a French priva- 
teer and sent into Dantzic. There were also several other 
American vessels sent into the same port. The petty officers 
and crews of these vessels, I was told, were lashed two and 
two and marched on foot by the French to Antwerp. The 
captains and supercargoes alone, were allowed to remain be- 
hind ; so much for French clemency towards neutral nations in 
1810, under the iron rule of "Le grand Empereur," and his 
pretorians. 

The whole number of American vessels that wintered in 
Russia in the winter of 1810, was twenty-three. One in 
Libau, eight in Riga, and fourteen in Revel, and other ports 
in the Gulf of Finland. Thus after Bonaparte, with his 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 131 

continental system, had driven trade and commerce in a great 
measure from almost all Europe, lie appeared determined to 
force Russia into the same political policy; and when the 
property of neutral nations was no longer respected in Southern 
and Western Europe, but on the contrary was seized and con- 
demned with impunity, it became necessary to go as far as pos- 
sible from the grasp of his military power, and seek a market 
in the high northern regions. Even here, among the ice and 
snow, we did not feel quite safe from his powerful influence ; it 
therefore became necessary for the Emperor of Russia to dis- 
guise his intentions and keep up a show of compliance to the 
views of France, while preparing for the grand struggle to resist 
the mighty power of his adversary. These considerations in my 
mind were sufficient to allay any unpleasant feelings growing 
out of the long delay of getting our papers from St. Petersburg. 
Here, it was easy to see that a great storm was gathering in the 
political atmosphere. All this winter, the Russians were sledg- 
ing down cannon from the interior to the frontier towns, and 
making every preparation for the conflict, with as little noise 
and bustle as possible. 

When I reflect on the character and conduct of Bonaparte 
at this period, it forcibly reminds me of Hainan of old, when he 
exclaimed, " All this availeth me nothing, so long as I see 
Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king's gate." Bonaparte 
probably said to himself, What advantage have I gained in the 
conquest of Europe, except I can compel Alexander to comply 
with my measures and policy, and be subject to my dictation ; 
I will therefore convince him that my armies are invincible, and 
will soon humble his pride ; but before I strike the final blow, 
I will endeavor to delude him by my adroit diplomacy. This 
he forthwith tried to accomplish. He sent to the court of St. 
Petersburg one of his most talented and cunning diplomatic 
men, in the person of Marshal Caulaincourt, to deceive and 
throw him off his guard with respect to his real intentions. He 
also sent to beguile and amuse him the best dramatic actors and 
actresses in France, and when he found that stratagem and in- 
trigue did not accomplish his purpose, he decided on taking 
such a powerful army as should enable him to crush his enemy 



132 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

in one campaign. But now mark the signal failure of the plans 
of this ambitious man, this spoiled child of Fortune, who would 
not take the advice of his old marshals and true friends to win- 
ter in Poland, and then open the campaign early in the spring. 
No, his haughty ambition and thirst for conquest impelled him 
to rush blindly on to his own ruin. 

We Americans, had every reason to rejoice that we had at 
this time the talented and accomplished John Quincy Adams, 
for our ambassador at the Court of St. Petersburg. He was 
always watchful for the interest and honor of his country, and 
ever ready to assist his countrymen at home and abroad. I 
have no doubt he was essentially useful in our commercial rela- 
tions with Russia at this trying period. I felt grateful to him 
during his life, and will, so long as I live, cherish and revere 
his memory. 

Boldera is a small town about eight or nine miles below 
Riga, near the mouth of the Dwina, and is in fact the port of 
Riga. At this place there were many cheap houses, built ex- 
pressly to rent to the ship-masters who winter here, to shelter 
their mates and crews from the severity of this climate, it being 
always too cold to live on shipboard. These houses were in a 
line at a convenient distance from each other ; and each Ameri- 
can captain in port hired one for his mates and seamen, at a rent 
of ten dollars per month. They were tolerably well built, and 
as firewood was plenty and cheap, were comfortable residences 
for the winter. We unbent our sails, stripped the masts of all 
the rigging, and in a warm and comfortable room by the side 
of a large fire, my mate and sailors overhauled the rigging, re- 
paired all the old, and made an entire new suit of sails during 
the winter. The sailors gave names to these houses according 
to their own fancy, sometimes after their ship or vessel ; others 
were called New York, Boston, or Salem, corresponding to the 
places where they belonged. After the labor of the day, they 
would visit their respective neighbors at New York, Boston or 
Salem, and as there was no want of female society among the 
lower classes, balls and dances were very frequent. The mates 
and petty officers also enjoyed the society of each other, and in 
this manner contrived to spend their time pleasantly during the 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 133 

long, cold evenings in this dreary climate. During the winter, 
provisions and breadstuffs were very cheap, so that we were 
able to support our crews at a very moderate expense. The 
peasants brought to this city in sledges, from Livonia and Po- 
land, all kinds of wild game and slaughtered domestic animals, 
frozen to such a degree, that if necessary they could be kept for 
months. The most of these articles were, of course, badly dress- 
ed, and had sometimes a disgusting appearance, having been 
killed and brought to market by these rude and half savage 
people — for example, the hogs had their throats cut and the 
hair partly singed off, but when our sailors had scalded and re- 
dressed them, they were good and wholesome food. The cap- 
tains and supercargoes resided in Riga. I hired very comfort- 
able apartments in company with Captain William Colwell, of 
the ship Venus of Boston, at a reasonable rate. We also hired 
a man with a horse and sleigh to attend us by night and day, at 
the low rate of eight dollars per month ; and as the river was 
frozen some two or three feet thick, there was an excellent road 
for sleighs on the ice from the town to the ships at the Boldera, 
so that in a very short time we could visit our vessels whenever 
it became necessary. 

About the first of December, Mr. Moses arrived here from 
Copenhagen, and appointed as our commission house or com- 
mercial agents, Messrs. Joach, Ebel, Schmidt & Co. He then 
proceeded to St. Petersburg to get the vessel and cargo clear of 
sequestration, and also to dispose of our merchandise. After a 
delay of seven or eight weeks, the government at St. Petersburg 
allowed us to discharge. All our goods were taken from the 
vessel into one-horse sledges, transported directly to the custom- 
house, and from there, after being inspected, forwarded to St. 
Petersburg and other large towns in the interior. The sugars 
and other articles composing our cargo, were sold at the cap- 
ital at very high prices. 

The expense for transporting goods over this extensive em- 
pire in the winter season, was extremely low ; I will not quote 
juices, for fear of making some mistake, but will state the com- 
mon mode of conveying goods to and from this city to St. Peters- 
burg and Moscow. Thus, twenty or thirty one-horse sledges 



134; SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

are loaded and secured, when one man and a boy take charge 
of the whole caravan ; the man rides and drives the leading horse, 
all the others follow in a direct line, while the hoy brings up the 
rear. They follow one another by night and day ; the drivers 
clothed in sheepskins and nestled in straw. They traverse the 
wide and wild regions of this vast empire with perfect safety ; 
the price of horned cattle and horses is extremely low, while the 
wages of the peasants and working classes are merely nominal ; 
consequently, the transportation of goods from place to place, 
even at a great distance, must be very reasonable. Eiga is the 
capital city of the province of Livonia, and lies on the right 
bank of the river Dwina, about nine miles from its mouth, in lat. 
56° 57' K"., long. 24° 4/ E. It contains about 50,000 inhabitants 
including the garrison, which generally numbers about eight or 
ten thousand. It is a very ancient town, and was formerly 
strongly fortified. The walls around the old city are still in 
good repair, but its inhabitants have so increased and spread 
around, that the suburbs are more extensive and contain more 
souls than the city itself. It is a great place for trade and com- 
merce. There are from 1,000 to 1,500 ships entered and cleared 
at this place annually ; their principal exports are manufactured 
goods from Moscow ; wheat, flax, tallow, flaxseed, hemp and 
iron, besides timber, masts, deal boards and hides, brought down 
the river from Poland. 

Its public buildings are many of them large and well con- 
structed ; the cathedral is very ancient, its tower is four hundred 
and forty feet in height, from which there is a magnificent view of 
the surrounding country. The town house, exchange and arsenal 
are built of massive stone, and are substantial, and well adapted 
to this climate. There is also a tolerable theatre, which, in the 
winter, is very well supported. The principal merchants are 
Germans ; the shopkeepers and petty dealers generally Russians, 
and though the language of the country is Euss, still, German, 
English, and French are spoken by all the upper or educated 
classes. The Eigarians may be justly called a gay, social peo- 
ple ; during the winter months they have frequent supper parties, 
masked and fancy balls, and contrive in this way to beguile 
their long and dreary winters. 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 135 

Although the cold is intense, there appears to be little or 
no suffering ; their houses are well adapted to the climate, be- 
ing thick and strong, with double windows, to keep out the 
frost. Firewood is abundant and cheap in this part of Russia, so 
that all are enabled to partake of this blessing in a greater or 
less degree. An individual in this country is generally recog- 
nized, that is to say, his rank and standing in society acknowl- 
edged, by the fineness of his furs; for example, the emperor 
and the higher order of nobility are wrapped in sable, ermine, 
and other costly furs, and so the quality and price gradually de- 
scend through all classes, even down to the poor serf or com- 
mon peasant, who is clothed in sheepskin. In Holland, a per- 
son is known by the size of his pipe ; for instance, a burgomaster 
has a large silver-mounted pipe, while the poorer classes are 
contented with small ones of less value. 

The winters in this part of Russia are altogether different 
from those in New York and the northern States, where they 
are extremely variable, sometimes very cold, and others com- 
paratively mild — subject to violent storms, and inconstant, 
changeable weather; thus, to-day the sleighing may be very 
good, and to-morrow the snow all melted, so that the weather 
is ever varying. Not so in this region. "When the winter fair- 
ly sets in, which is generally about the middle of November, the 
ground is soon covered with snow to the depth of two or three 
feet, and though the air is clear, cold and bracing, it is still easy 
to respire. 

The Fahrenheit thermometer is generally down to zero, and 
often falls eighteen or twenty degrees below it ; the rivers are 
frozen to the thickness of three or four feet, and remain so during 
the whole of the winter. There are no storms or violent gales, 
the sky is clear, and the heavenly bodies are bright and dazzling. 
The days are short, and generally whirled away in business or 
pleasure, and in preparing for more active employment at the 
opening of the spring. I was told that it was a standing order of 
the government to remove the sentries from all military posts, 
when the thermometer was as low as eighteen degrees ; anterior 
v to this regulation, sentinels were sometimes found frozen to death, 
standing bolt upright at their posts. 



136 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

To strangers and people of distinction, the elite of Riga are 
very hospitable. During the greater part of the winter, there 
were here eight or ten American captains and supercargoes. 
We were generally social and friendly, giving occasionally 
supper and whist parties ; these were pleasant and not expen- 
sive meetings. Some few, however, of the supercargoes, prefer- 
red visiting the families of the rich merchants, where, I am sor- 
ry to say, in some of them gambling was introduced, and some- 
times the parties would play very deep, and even the ladies 
would not refuse to join in this dangerous practice, so destruc- 
tive to good morals. One of our number, the supercargo of the 
ship V., a handsome young gentleman of about twenty-two years 
of age, became very fond of betting and playing, and for seve- 
ral evenings was very successful, often boasting how many thou- 
sand rubles he had gained the last night, and appeared very 
much elated with his success. I frequently remonstrated with 
him on the subject, and told him of his youth, inexperience, and 
of the sad consequences of this alluring passion, which had ru- 
ined thousands older than himself; his reply was, "Although I 
am young, I still know how to govern and take care of myself." 
Some weeks after this the young man became sullen and very 
low-spirited, and would often remark that life was not worth 
possessing, and that he had rather die than live. I feared that 
all was not right with him, and endeavored to divert his mind 
from dwelling on the dark side of life, but all to no purpose ; he 
grew more discontented with himself, and every body else, and 
finally shut himself up in his own room, and with a pistol blew 
out his brains. After this melancholy catastrophe, it was found 
that he had gambled away the greater part of the cargo intrust- 
ed to his management. I have entered minutely into this sad 
story, in hopes that if it should ever meet the eyes of young 
gentlemen, it may serve as a warning to them to avoid the bane- 
ful practice of gaming. 

In the course of the winter there was a similar case of sui- 
cide in this city. A young German gentleman, cashier to one 
of the principal mercantile houses, had taken a considerable 
sum of his employer's money ; the merchant, though defrauded 
by the young man, was persuaded, through the anxious solicita- 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 137 

tions of his mother, to retain him in his counting office. Though 
he could no longer trust him in charge of the cash, still, to 
gratify her, he was willing to retain him in his employ in a less 
responsible situation. The young gentleman remained a few 
weeks in a subordinate capacity, but was so wounded and mor- 
tified at the loss of reputation, that he soon put an end to his 
heretofore valuable life. I knew him personally, and record 
with deep regret his untimely end, caused by the abominable 
vice of gambling. He was an amiable young man, and had a 
mother and two sisters almost entirely dependent upon him for 
support. He had many influential friends, and bore an excel- 
lent character, until led imperceptibly into the habit of gam- 
bling, not indeed at gaming-houses, among the low and aban- 
doned, but with gentlemen and ladies. I wish not to be too 
severe against the elite of this hospitable city, and if I have 
been wrongly informed on the subject, I hope it will not be 
attributed to any ill-will or pique against them ; but if I am 
right, I trust, ere this, there has been a radical reform, and 
that the respectable part of the community have set their 
faces against that terrible vice, which leads to every moral 
and religious delinquency. I believe that, with the exception of 
the field of battle, there is nothing so exciting or seducing as 
the gaming-table. 

Towards the latter part of February we began to ballast the 
Eliza with a quantity of iron in bars, and eighty casks of tallow, 
each containing about nine hundred pounds, net weight ; we 
also took on board some few tons of hemp, and got ready to re- 
ceive the manufactured goods whenever they should arrive 
from St. Petersburg. During my stay here, I disposed of all 
my private adventure in this city, except about forty boxes of 
Havana segars, which I sent by land to Libau, where they were 
sold at a great profit. I had much leisure time, and was en- 
abled to select and purchase manufactured articles, such as 
linens, duck, etc., etc., at very reasonable prices. The amount 
thus invested in goods of different descriptions, at sailing, was 
fifteen hundred dollars. My friend, Mr. J. M., remained at St. 
Petersburg nearly all the winter, where he purchased the 
greater part of our return cargo, which consisted principally of 



138 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

sheetings, drillings, diapers, canvas, ravens duck, etc., etc., 
all packed up in bales with many coverings of cloth and mats 
to secure them against damage from exposure on the road. 
Through the months of March and April, as the goods arrived, 
they were sent on board and stowed away. The river began to 
break up about the 10th of April, and several ships arrived on 
the 24th. I was informed by the inhabitants of Riga, that the 
river and harbor at Boldera were open much earlier than usual ; 
commonly there were no arrivals until the middle of May, and 
often as late as the first of June. 

We finished loading the Eliza on the fifteenth of May, 
settled all our bills, and got ready for sea. Our little schooner 
was in fine order, with an abundance of new rigging, and an 
entire new suit of sails. I understood from Mr. Moses, that 
the whole cost of our return cargo was $45,000. After lying in 
this port six months and four days, we sailed out of the Dwina 
on the morning of the 25th of May, 1811, bound to ]STew York. 
We soon discharged our pilot and stood off shore, with light, 
variable winds and clear, pleasant weather. 

Latitude by observation at meridian, 57° 21' north. 

In two days after leaving Riga, I got out of the Gulf of 
Livonia and steered down the Baltic, with light, variable winds 
and very fine weather. It is delightful to navigate this sea in 
the long days of summer, when the sun does not leave the hori- 
zon until after nine o'clock, and when the twilight continues so 
long and bright, that it is not difficult to read a book of ordi- 
nary sized type at midnight. Strong gales at this season of the 
year are of rare occurrence, consequently the sea is generally 
smooth and tranquil. 

After getting out of the Gulf of Livonia, I ran over to the 
Swedish coast, to avoid meeting French or Danish privateers, 
that had in some instances ventured out and made short cruises 
from Dantzic, and other ports in Prussia. 

On the 31st of May, I passed near a fleet of about fifty sail 
of merchant ships, standing up the Baltic, under convoy of a 
British frigate and two sloops-of-war. 

June 1st, at noon, came to anchor at Hano, in eleven fathoms 
of water, after a pleasant passage of five days from Riga. Hano 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 139 

is a small island on the coast of Sweden, in the neighborhood 
of Carlsham ; between it and the main land there is good, safe 
anchorage — the entrance being open and of easy access. These 
circumstances, and its favorable position, make it a great rendez- 
vous for the English men-of-war ; here they lie until a sufficient 
number of merchant ships have collected, when the admiral 
sends a frigate or two to convoy them through the Belt and Cat- 
tegat to Gottenburg. "When I arrived, I found about twenty sail 
waiting convoy, and after lying here eight days, the number 
had augmented to about fiity. On the 9th of June we left 
Hano, under the protection of a frigate and two sloops-of-war, 
and soon got into the Great Belt, where we saw lying at anchor 
the Yigo seventy-four, Admiral Dixon, and several frigates and 
sloops-of-war. At this season of the year, men-of-war can 
anchor with perfect safety in almost any part of this passage. 

On the 10th of June an American captain gave me a list of 
twenty sail of American ships and vessels lying in Gottenburg 
and the Great Belt, all bound to St. Petersburg and other parts 
of the Gulf of "Finland. On the 10th, in the afternoon, the 
wind being light, we came to anchor in the Belt, where I was 
boarded by the boats of the Vigo. I sold to the officers of this 
ship a quantity of Russian linen, diaper, etc. They were gen- 
tlemanly men, and paid liberally for all they purchased. At 
three o'clock in the morning a light breeze sprung up from the 
southward, and we got under way. "We met with light winds 
and calms for several days, and made but slow progress, lying 
by at night, when the winds were contrary, and were thus de- 
tained until the 17th of June, when we arrived at the outer 
harbor of Gottenburg, after a passage of eight days. Here we 
filled up our water-casks, replenished our sea-stores, firewood, 
etc., and after waiting three clays for a fair wind, left this port on 
the 21st for home. On the 23d, at five a. m., saw the Naze of 
Norway, bearing north twelve leagues distant — several sail in 
sight ; light winds from the S. E., and fine weather. Latitude, 
by observation at noon, 57° 42' N. 

On the 25th, at six o'clock in the morning, made North Ron- 
aldsha, one of the Orkney Islands, bearing N. N. "W. four miles 
distant ; at the same time saw the light-house on Sanda Island, 



140 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

bearing S. W. one league. At meridian, Mouldhead on Papa 
Westra Island, bore south thirteen miles distant. Latitude by 
observation 59° 34/ north ; here the variation of the compass is 
about two and three-fourths points westerly. We were now 
only three days from Gottenburg, and had made good progress 
on our passage ; before night we got to the westward of these 
islands, and were once more on the broad Atlantic. Nothing 
remarkable occurred during a period of nine days ; from this 
date we had light winds and fine weather until the 4th of July, 
when we had a strong gale from the S. W. At two a. m. hove 
to under a three-reefed foresail ; at four a. m. pitched away the 
jib-boom in the wake of the cap ; strong gales with a high sea 
running during the day. We had unbent the main-jib to re- 
pair it ; at ten in the morning the wind moderated a little, and 
the sea was not quite so high as it had been during the night. 

At this time the mate and two men were bending the main- 
jib, when the vessel gave a violent pitch and washed one of 
them off the bowsprit ; he was an ordinary seaman by the name 
of Thomas Chatterton ; instantly a coil of rope was thrown over 
his head, but to no purpose, he was unable to grasp it. We 
immediately got out the boat though a high sea was running, 
and the poor fellow was not twenty yards from the bows of the 
schooner ; still he sunk to rise no more before the boat could 
reach him. It was indeed a painful sight to see a fellow-crea- 
ture perish so near the vessel, without being able to save him. 
Here is a striking proof of the necessity of learning to swim in 
early life ; had this man been able to swim, he would in all 
human probability have been saved. This accident occurred in 
latitude 56° 2' K, longitude 23° 40' W. 

On the 14th of July, at midnight, while blowing a strong 
gale at !N". N. W., we passed through a fleet of ships standing to 
the eastward ; from this day until the 30th instant, we generally 
had contrary winds, and made but slow progress getting to the 
westward. At six o'clock in the morning, on the 30th of July, 
we fell in with a fleet of eighty sail of merchant ships from 
Jamaica bound to England, under convoy of two men-of-war 
brigs ; from one of them a boat was sent on board our vessel for 
information from Europe. From this period nothing occurred 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 141 

■worthy of remark until we arrived at New York, on the 9th of 
August, after a passage of forty-nine days from Gottenburg. I 
was attached to the schooner Eliza on this voyage to Russia, 
from the 9th of August, 1810, to the 15th of August, 1811, 
being a period of twelve months and six days. 1 made a very 
good voyage for my owners, and we settled all our accounts to 
our mutual satisfaction. I am happy to add that I always found 
Messrs. Isaac Moses & Sons, honest, honorable merchants, and 
during a period of eighteen months, that I sailed in their em- 
ployment, we never had the slightest misunderstanding. After 
the schooner Eliza was discharged, she was sold to Messrs. G. 
G. & S. Howland. These gentlemen, through my recommenda- 
tion, gave the command of her to Mr. Stephen Trowbridge, who 
had been my mate for the last two years. She was soon loaded 
and dispatched to some port in Brazil. I returned home to my 
native place, where I found my good mother and sister well, 
and was rejoiced to meet them again after so long an absence. 
I had now acquired a fair competency, and was enabled to sup- 
port them comfortably, and keep my younger brothers at the 
best school in the town. 

Here I remained a few weeks with my family, when my 
friend and former employer, Archibald Gracie, Esq., wrote for 
me to return to New York. He informed me he was about 
purchasing a new ship in Philadelphia, and if agreeable to my 
wishes, would give me the command of her on a voyage to Lis- 
bon. I thanked him for the offer, and forthwith the business 
was settled. I knew him too well to say a single word on the 
subject of wages or emolument ; I preferred leaving the terms 
with him, for he always allowed me better pay than I should 
have dared to ask. I am now happy to speak of this excellent 
man as I have ever found him, and to give my feeble testimony 
to his generous and noble qualities. A more honest, kind and 
benevolent man, never drew the breath of life ; open-hearted- 
ness and candor were the leading traits of his character. As a 
merchant, he had but few equals ; he despised all cunning and 
duplicity, and was in every sense a just and good man. For 
many years his house was the seat of a generous hospitality, and 
the poor never went away empty from his door. He Avas in- 



142 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ELIZA. 

deed a father to me, for when a mere boy I was mate of his 
vessels, and when old enough to command, he gave me charge 
of his ship Virginia, and was now about to intrust me with a 
valuable new ship and cargo. 

I have, from time to time, in my narrative spoken of the 
treatment of neutral nations by England and France, and of the 
difficulty of prosecuting a voyage from the United States to any 
part of the world without molestation and frequent capture. 
On the one hand, Bonaparte was overrunning the continent of 
Europe, and on the other, England claiming the dominion of the 
sea ; in fine, both these great powers appeared determined to 
destroy all neutral rights, and force the other nations of the 
earth to take part in their quarrels. With respect to the United 
States, there was no doubt of the injuries and persecutions we 
had received from both of these belligerent powers ; the only 
question was, which of the two has done us the greatest wrong, 
and treated us with the greatest indignity and contempt ? The 
French robbed us, but still treated us politely, while the Eng- 
lish affected to despise us, and some of their impudent news- 
papers asserted that one discharge of gunpowder in anger, would 
drive us all off the ocean. We had borne persecution and insult 
so long, that in Europe it was generally said, and became almost 
a by-word, that the Americans had no national pride or char- 
acter, and for the sake of gain, would sacrifice every principle 
of honor. The peculiar position in which we were placed with 
regard to England and France, engendered a malignant and 
bitter party feeling throughout the whole of the United States. 
The I^ew Englanders accused the South and West of being 
partial to France, while the South called their political oppo- 
nents partisans of England. Thus by these feuds and civil dis- 
sentions, the power of the government was in a measure par- 
alyzed ; still, something must be done, and finally it was 
narrowed down to this simple question : u Shall we destroy our 
ships and stay at home, like the Chinese, or assert our rights at 
the cannon's mouth % " It was, therefore, evident to every in- 
telligent mind, that war was unavoidable, and must soon come. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA, FROM PHILADELPHIA TO LISBON, 
AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEARS 1811 AND 1812. 

I left JSTew York for Philadelphia, on the 29th of September. 
At this time there was no public conveyance, all the way by 
land, except the stage-coach. I recollect the fare was eight 
dollars and a half, and the charge for two meals on the 
road, brought the expense of going from New York to Phila- 
delphia, to about ten dollars. On my arrival at that city, I 
called, agreeably to my instructions, on Messrs. Welling & 
Francis, the friends and agents of Messrs. Archibald Gracie 
& Sons. They immediately placed me in command of the 
America. I found her an excellently built ship, burden 525 
tons, quite new, but requiring new sails, boats, running rig- 
ging, etc., etc. ; and as she had been laid up from the time she 
was launched, ot course required a thorough calking. She 
was built of the best materials, and considered at this time 
as good a ship as belonged to the port of Philadelphia. I 
lost no time in ordering new sails, boats, etc. I employed 
carpenters and calkers, and in the course of eight or ten 
days commenced loading, and on the 23d of October we 
finished. Our cargo consisted of 5,382 barrels of flour, with 
white-oak staves for dunnage. The cargo of the America 
at this period was considered enormously large. Our crew 
was composed of two mates, a carpenter, cook, and steward, 
with sixteen men and boys before the mast, exclusive of 
myself and the supercargo — the whole number being twenty- 
two souls. 



144 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 

We had much trouble in getting the seamen on board. 
Many of them being intoxicated, and maddened with liquor, 
they were very riotous and abusive to the officers, and also 
to the pilot, who, agreeably to my orders, took charge of 
the ship on the 1st of November, to proceed down to Reedy 
Island. On their way down, one of the men jumped over- 
board, and would inevitably have been lost, but for the noble 
conduct of the second mate, who leaped into the river and 
saved him from drowning. After much trouble and diffi- 
culty, they finally got safe down to the island. The next day, 
Mr. Augustus Fleming (the supercargo) and myself, went by 
land to Reedy Island, and there joined the ship. We found 
the crew in a very mutinous state ; they had refused to obey 
the officers, and swore they would not weigh the anchor with- 
out more men. I consulted with my supercargo and officers 
for a few moments, and asked them whether they would 
stand by me, and support my authority. They all agreed 
to do so, and commenced arming themselves, Mr. Fleming 
aud myself with pistols, the carpenter (a powerful man) with 
a huge broad-axe, the mates, pilot, steward and boys with 
crowbars, clubs, etc., and thus the quarter-deck was arrayed 
against the forecastle. We marched forward, myself at the 
head ; we found them all seated on the forecastle and windlass, 
when I addressed the two ringleaders, and asked them the 
cause of their disobedience ; they said we were two men short, 
and that was the reason of their refusing to obey. I told 
them that I was the best judge of the number of men the 
ship required, and instantly ordered them to take the hand- 
spikes and heave up the anchor. It was now evident that one 
or the other party must yield, or an immediate conflict would 
ensue. They waited about a minute for a reply, when looking 
upon us, and then upon themselves, the ringleader exclaimed, 
" Come, boys, let us give three cheers for the America and her 
captain, and then go to work." This was done with enthu- 
siasm ; they then manned the windlass, hove up the anchor 
with alacrity, and made sail on the ship in good earnest. 

After she was fairly under way, I ordered the mates to go 
down into the forecastle and throw overboard all the liquor they 



FIRST VOYAGE EST THE SHIP AMERICA. 145 

could find. This was done without any resistance, and after 
these men became sober, they proved to be an excellent crew, 
and gave me no further trouble during the whole voyage. This 
case and many similar ones have convinced me that alcohol is 
the bane of all peace and concord, and should, if possible, be 
banished from the earth, as the most deadly enemy of the hu- 
man race. "We ran down the bay in company with the ships 
Rebecca Sims and China Packet, the former bound to Lisbon, 
and the latter to Gibraltar, and although the America was deep, 
and drew eighteen and a half feet of water, she outsailed them 
both. "When nearly abreast of Cape Henlopen, on the 4th of 
November, I imprudently discharged the pilot, and soon after 
he left us, the ship struck on one of the outer shoals several 
times, very severely. I immediately took in all the after sails, 
and as we had a strong breeze from the N. K. "W., and the tide 
was rising, she only grounded for a few minutes, and was soon 
afloat again. "We had a brisk and favorable breeze, and soon 
lost sight of the land. I have minutely dwelt on my ship's tak- 
ing the ground, that it may be a warning to all young captains, 
who may chance to read this narrative, against committing the 
same error, that is to say, in discharging their pilots too soon. 

We generally had favorable winds and good weather until 
we made the Island of Corvo, on the 17th. From this time un- 
til the 8th of December, we had a continuation of boisterous 
gales and very bad weather until we arrived at Lisbon, on the 
9th of the same month, after a long passage of thirty-eight days. 
I found the ships that left New York and Philadelphia about 
the time I sailed, had had long passages as well as myself; 
the new ship Phoenix had forty days from Philadelphia, and 
the Rebecca Sims had not yet arrived. "We met with an 
excellent market for our cargo of flour, which cost nine dollars 
per barrel and brought here fifteen. Mr. Fleming employed 
H. T. Sampayo, Esq., at this place, to dispose of it, and to 
transact all the business connected with the ship. Our flour 
was all landed in good order in about a fortnight. I will here 
take occasion to say, that my supercargo, Augustus Fleming, 
Esq., of New York, was an excellent young man. He was 
brave, generous, intelligent and confiding, and when he an- 
10 



146 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 

noimced his intention to remain in Europe, and not return in the 
ship, I received the intelligence with sincere regret, for I felt 
confident that we could have sailed around the world together, 
without the slightest disagreement. 

We soon ballasted the ship with sand, and sailed from Lis- 
bon on the 8th of January, bound for New York. I ran off the 
coast of Portugal with a fine fair wind and good weather, and 
met with nothing worth recording during this passage. We 
arrived at New York on the 10th of February, 1812, thirty-three 
days from Lisbon, thus making the entire voyage from Phila- 
delphia to Lisbon and back to New York, in three and a half 
months, and I am happy to add, to the satisfaction of my own- 
ers and all others interested in the voyage. I was also success- 
ful, my employers having allowed me the privilege of one hun- 
dred barrels of flour, liberal wages and other perquisites. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA, FROM NEW YORK TO LISBON, 
AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEAR 1812. 

I had made the last voyage in this ship on a single bottom, she 
being quite new. It was the desire of the owners to have her 
coppered and dispatched on another voyage to Lisbon, as soon 
as possible. No time was therefore lost in discharging the bal- 
last and coppering the ship. My presence was necessary, to 
superintend the fitting and loading of the America ; consequent- 
ly I had no leisure to visit my home in Connecticut. After the 
necessary repairs were completed, we took on board an entire 
cargo of 3,000 barrels of flour, and 12,000 bushels of corn. I 
shipped an entire new crew of officers and seamen. The name 
of my chief mate was Charles M. Hanstrom ; he was a very re- 
ligious man — a Swede by birth — somewhat advanced in life, 
but still an efficient, good officer, and bore an excellent 
character. 

Thus manned and equipped, we sailed from JSTew York on 
the 29th of March — having been in port but forty-six days. We 
had a pleasant run off the coast, and a fair prospect of making 
a quick passage ; but after getting as far east as the Western 
Islands, had contrary and baffling winds, which impeded our 
progress, and made our passage rather long, so that we did not 
arrive at Lisbon until the 4th of May, thirty-six days from New 
York. But what in our case was very remarkable, was that our 
long passage proved of vast advantage to my owners ; for had 
we arrived a fortnight sooner, our cargo would probably have 
been sold at low prices ; but, as it happened, it was disposed of 



148 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 

at an enormous profit, owing to the United States government 
having laid an embargo on all ships and vessels in the United 
States, on the 3d of April — three clays after we left K~ew York. 
This act was preparatory to a declaration of war against Great 
Britain, which occurred on the 18th of June, 1812. This, of 
course, augmented the price of all kinds of provisions and 
breadstuff's ; so that my entire cargo sold at an immense profit. 
The flour brought $20 per barrel, and the Indian corn $3 the 
bushel. This is not the first time in my life that my short- 
sighted ingratitude evinced itself against a beneficent Provi- 
dence ; for, during the passage, I often repined at my hard fate 
in being so long detained by contrary winds. 

After the cargo was discharged, we ballasted the ship, and 
got ready for sea. Our consignee, H. T. Sampayo, Esq., was at 
a loss what to do with the ships belonging to Messrs. Gracie & 
Sons, which were three in number, besides a little schooner 
called the John and George, Captain Isaacs. This little vessel 
was dispatched on the 1st of June for New York. By Captain 
Isaacs I sent a piece of linen, and some other small articles, as 
presents to my sister, which unfortunately never arrived — Cap- 
tain I. having been captured by the English on his homeward 
passage, and sent into Halifax ; there his little schooner and 
every thing on board was condemned. Mr. Sampayo became 
daily more and more anxious and uneasy about Messrs. Gracie 
& Sons' ships. To lay them up here upon expense, would be 
ruinous, and to send them home, was a very responsible measure 
for him to take upon himself. The last news from the United 
States was, that our government had laid an embargo on all 
American ships and vessels. How long it would continue, no 
one could say, or what would be the next step our government 
would take. Our situation was therefore surrounded by diffi- 
culties on every side ; but, after a few weeks' deliberation, it 
was finally decided to remit all the funds belonging to Messrs. 
Gracie to London, and send the ships home in ballast the first 
fair wind. There were many other American ships here, simi- 
larly situated ; which circumstance created much bustle and 
anxiety to get away. Many bets were made by the American 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 149 

captains and supercargoes, on the passages of their respective 
ships. 

Some of rny countrymen imagined there would be no war ; 
others thought they would have sufficient time to get home be- 
fore it would be declared. My own opinion was, however, that 
it was inevitable. I accordingly decided not to speak any thing, 
if I could avoid it, and to keep a little out of the general track 
of homeward-bound ships. At length, on the morning of the 
14th of June, we all sailed out of the port of Lisbon, bound to 
New York : the Eliza Gracie, Captain Eodgers ; the Oronoko, 
Captain J. Richards ; and the America, myself master ; besides 
several other American ships, in company with us, all bound to 
the United States. At the time of sailing, we had a fine, fresh 
breeze from the N. E., and clear, pleasant weather. During 
the first day out, there was no material difference in the sailing 
of our three ships ; we all pushed to the westward, taking about 
the same course. At nightfall, I edged the ship off a couple of 
points to the southward, in order to get clear of the fleet — wish- 
ing to pursue my destiny alone, whether for weal or woe — and 
at daylight the next morning there was nothing in sight. 

In consequence of the great competition to make the shortest 
passage, I promised each of my officers a handsome present, as 
an inducement to be watchful and vigilant ; to the chief mate 
a new suit of clothes, if we beat the other ships, and to the second 
mate a corresponding reward. We had favorable winds for 
several days, and proceeded rapidly on our course, until we 
reached latitude 40° 10' N., longitude 32° W. — that is to say, a 
little west of the Western Islands. There we met with light 
airs and calms, which continued for five consecutive days, and 
during that time we did not make fifty miles distance. It was 
a severe trial to me to lie day after clay almost in the same po- 
sition, with the sea as smooth as a mirror, expecting to be beaten 
by the entire fleet, offend my owners, and perhaps lose my com- 
mand, on my return to New York. In this anxious state of 
mind, I used often to exclaim against my hard fate. My pious 
old mate had always the same mild answer to make to all my 
complaints — " You may rely upon it, Captain C, that it is all 
for the best ; for I have ever found it so. Do not, therefore, 



150 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMEKICA. 

fret or complain ; God orders every thing in wisdom,- and it 
will eventually be for our good." It was, to me, strange phi- 
losophy, that it would be for my interest to be beaten by the 
other ships. 

At the expiration of five days, however, we took a fine breeze 
from the southward, and made good progress to the westward. 
I now steered for Nantucket south shoal, where I got soundings 
and a good lunar observation, and thus ascertained the exact 
position of the ship, and here I also spoke a small schooner, 
bound to the eastward. The captain of this vessel informed me 
that war existed between England and the United States, and 
that it had been declared on the 18th of June. It was now the 
15th of July. I therefore decided to run at once for Montauk 
Point, and pass through Long Island Sound. This was in the 
morning, and a strong breeze blowing from the S. E. I accord- 
ingly got near Montauk Light about midnight, when it became 
nearly calm, and soon after a light breeze sprung up to the 
northward, directly off the land. I therefore concluded it would 
be dangerous to be in this position at daylight ; for if there 
should be any cruisers off the Point, I should inevitably be 
taken. Consequently, I steered close in with the Southampton 
beach, in eight or nine fathoms of water, and at daylight saw 
nothing except a few small craft in shore. I had no cargo or 
money on board, except two thousand Spanish dollars, belong- 
ing to myself — the avails of my own private adventure. This 
specie I put into small bags, and got one of the boats ready, with 
a select crew, to start for the shore at a moment's warning. 
For this service, I appointed Mr. "William Fitch, my second 
mate — a worthy, confidential young man, whom I could trust, 
with perfect safety, to manage this business. I then pointed 
out our danger to the officers and men, and also the course I 
meant to pursue. My plan was, if we met with an English 
cruiser, and could not avoid capture, to run the ship on shore, 
set fire to her, and then escape to the land in the two remaining 
boats. 

During the whole of this day we had light, variable winds 
and fine weather. "We steered along shore, in eight or nine 
fathoms of water, and in the afternoon passed near Fire Island, 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 151 

where we boarded a sloop, laden with wood, but, to our disap- 
pointment, could get no positive information about the war, or 
whether there were any British cruisers oft' Sandy Hook. At 
10 p. m. we got close in with the Hook, where we took a pilot, 
and soon learned that nothing had been heard of the Eliza Gra- 
de or the Oronoko. The next morning, July 17th, we got safe 
up to New York, rejoiced at our good fortune in having escaped 
the enemy. About a week after our arrival we heard, with re- 
gret, that the Oronoko and Eliza Gracie had both been taken 
by Admiral Sawyer's fleet. They sent the Oronoko into Hali- 
fax, and burned the Eliza Gracie. 

Mr. Hanstrom, my good old mate, continued to say, that 
every thing had come right, and that the five days calm weather 
had saved us from capture. Upon examining the track taken 
by the Eliza Gracie and Oronoko, it appeared that they passed 
but about fifty or sixty miles to the northward of us — thus 
avoiding the calm — and soon fell in with the English fleet. 

After paying off the officers and men, I went home to Con- 
necticut for a few weeks, and then returned to New York. The 
times were bad for commerce ; many merchant ships had been 
taken by the enemy, and great numbers laid up ; some of them 
had been removed up the North River as far as Hudson, and 
others dismantled and laid up here. Although painful to see 
our ships rotting alongside the wharves, still, in my opinion, it 
was better and more patriotic than to submit any longer to 
tyrannical abuse and oppression. The recent heavy losses ex- 
perienced by my owners were very discouraging, and on the 
30th of July Mr. Gracie gave me orders to transport the Amer- 
ica up town, there dismantle and lay her up. I complied with 
his request, and having appointed a ship-keeper, again returned 
to the home of my mother. About the twentieth of August, 
while in Milford, we received the joyful news of the capture and 
destruction of the British frigate Guerriere, Captain Dacres, by 
the United States frigate Constitution, under the command of 
Captain Isaac Hull. This brilliant action electrified the whole 
country, and was received as a joyous foreboding of good things 
to come. This was the commencement of fair and open-handed 



152 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 

combat, and had no mixture of the crouching Leopard in its na- 
ture ; it was brilliant, it was glorious ! 

And here I cannot refrain from giving the following extract 
from a part of John C. Calhoun's speech, addressed (June 3d, 
1812) to Congress : 

" Before I proceed to answer the gentleman from Massachu- 
setts, particularly, let me call the attention of the House to one 
circumstance ; that is, that almost the whole of his arguments 
consisted of an enumeration of evils always incident to war, 
however just and necessary ; and that, if they have any force, 
it is calculated to produce unqualified submission to every spe- 
cies of insult and injury. I do not feel myself bound to answer 
arguments of the above description, and if I should touch on 
them, it will only be incidentally, and not for the purpose of 
serious refutation. The first argument of the gentleman which 
I shall notice, is the unprepared state of the country. Whatever 
weight this argument might have in a question of immediate 
war, it surely has little in that of preparation for it. If our 
country is unprepared, let us remedy the evil as soon as possi- 
ble. Let the gentleman submit his plan ; and, if a reasonable 
one, I doubt not it will be supported by the House. But, sir, 
let us admit the fact and the whole force of the argument, I ask 
whose is the fault ? "Who has been a member for many years 
past, and has seen the defenceless state of his country even near 
home, under his own eyes, without a single endeavor to remedy 
so serious an evil ? Let him not say, ' I have acted in a minor- 
ity.' It is no less the duty of the minority than the majority to 
endeavor to serve our country. For that purpose we are sent 
here, and not for that of opposition. We are next told of the ex- 
penses of the war, and that the people will not pay taxes. Why 
not ? Is it a want of capacity ? What ! with one million tons of 
shipping ; a trade of nearly one hundred million dollars ; manu- 
factures of one hundred and fifty million dollars ; and agriculture 
of thrice that amount, shall we be told the country wants the ca- 
pacity to raise and support ten thousand or fifteen thousand ad- 
ditional regulars ? No, it has the ability — that is admitted ; but 
will it not have the disposition ? Is not the course a just and ne 
cessary one ? Shall we then utter this libel on the nation ? Where 



SECOND VOYAGE EST THE SHIP AMERICA. 153 

will proof be found of a fact so disgraceful ? It is said in the his- 
tory of the country twelve or fifteen years ago, ' The case is not 
parallel.' The ability of the country has greatly increased since. 
The object of that tax was unpopular. But on this, so well as 
my memory and almost infant observation at that time served 
me, the objection was not to the tax, or its amount, but the mode 
of collection. The eye of the nation was frightened by the 
number of officers ; its love of liberty shocked with the multi- 
plicity of regulations. We, in the vile spirit of imitation, copied 
from the most oppressive part of European laws on that subject, 
and imposed on a young and virtuous nation all the severe pro- 
visions made necessary by corruption and long-growing chicane. 
If taxes should become necessary, I do not hesitate to say the 
people will pay cheerfully. It is for their government and their 
cause, and would be their interest and duty to pay. But it may 
be, and I believe was said, that the nation will not pay taxes, 
because the rights violated are not worth defending ; or that the 
defence will cost more than the profit. 

" Sir, I here enter my solemn protest against this low and 
' calculating avarice ' entering this hall of legislation. It is only 
fit for shops and counting-houses, and ought not to disgrace the 
seat of sovereignty by its squalid and vile appearance. Whenever 
it touches sovereign power the nation is ruined. It is too short- 
sighted to defend itself. It is an unpromising spirit, always 
ready to yield a part to save the balance. It is too timid to 
have in itself the laws of self-preservation. It is never safe but 
under the shield of honor. Sir, I only know of one principle to 
make a nation great, to produce in this country not the form 
but real spirit of union, and that is, to protect every citizen in 
the lawful pursuit of his business. He will then feel that he is 
backed by the government — that its arm is his arms, and will 
rejoice in its increased strength and prosperity. Protection and 
patriotism are reciprocal. This is the road that all great nations 
have trod. Sir, I am not versed in this calculating policy, and ^vill 
not, therefore, pretend to estimate in dollars and cents the value 
of national independence or national affection. I cannot dare 
to measure in shillings and pence the misery, the stripes, and 
the slavery of our impressed seamen ; nor even to value our 



154: SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 

shipping, commercial, and agricultural losses under the orders 
in council and the British system of blockade. I hope I have 
not condemned any prudent estimate of the means of a country, 
before it enters on a war. This is wisdom, the other folly." 

For this speech, and also for his conduct as Chairman of the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, where he recommended our 
government to declare war against Great Britain, he is entitled 
to my everlasting gratitude, and I hope and trust that every 
individual who has an American heart will cherish and revere 
his memory until the latest posterity. If there ever was a just 
and holy war, it was ours against Great Britain in 1812. 



CHAPTEE XX. 

THIRD VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA TO LISBON, AND BACK TO NEW 
YORK, IN THE YEARS 1812 AND 1813. 

On the 20th of September we commenced taking in flour for 
Lisbon, and made all dispatch to sail as soon as possible. After 
the ship was loaded, I shipped an entire new crew of officers 
and seamen ; the whole amounting to twenty-two souls. The 
chief mate, Mr. Myrick, had been captain of a ship, and was a 
capable, efficient officer. The second mate, Mr. Nichols, was a 
good seaman and a fine fellow. Among the crew were four or 
five very well educated young gentlemen of good families. 

We sailed from New York at daylight on the 13th of Octo- 
ber, and at 7 o'clock the same morning passed Sanely Hook, 
with a fine breeze from the N. W. We had a fine run off the 
coast, and in seventeen days got within three days' sail of the 
Rock of Lisbon. After this we had light and variable winds, 
and did not arrive at Lisbon until the 7th of November, making 
the passage in twenty-five days, all well. On my arrival I 
found lying here a great number of American ships and vessels, 
seventy or eighty sail from different ports of the United States, 
all of which had brought flour and breadstuffs. At this time 
Lord Wellington's head-quarters were at Funecla, some distance 
within the line separating Spain from Portugal, and no one could 
say whether he would be able to advance, or obliged to fall 
back within his lines in the neighborhood of this city. Conse- 
quently, the market for flour and grain was kept in a very 
fluctuating state, because if he penetrated far into the interior, 
he would require a less supply from Lisbon. 



156 THIRD VOYAGE IN THE SHIP AMERICA. 

This city is so well known that I deem it unnecessary to say 
much on the subject, and will therefore make but few remarks, 
jiist to state its location, etc. It lies on the right bank of the 
River Tagus, near its mouth, in latitude 38° 42' IS"., longitude 9° 
6' W. of London. It is the capital city and principal seaport of 
Portugal, one hundred and seventy-two miles south of Oporto, two 
hundred and twenty north-west of Cadiz, and thr-ee hundred and 
twenty west sonth-west of Madrid. It is admirably situated for 
commerce, and has a population of from three hundred to three 
hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. Many of the churches 
and public buildings are magnificent. When approaching Lis- 
bon from the sea, it appears grand and imposing, but on enter- 
ing the city the charm is broken. It is filthy to the last degree, 
its police the worst in Europe, and had it not one of the best and 
most salubrious climates in the world, its inhabitants would be 
swept away with plague and pestilence. 

Our consignee, Mr. H. T. Sampayo, gave me every facility 
and dispatch, so that in the course of three weeks after my 
arrival, the cargo was all landed, the ship ballasted with sand, 
and ready again for sea. I had the same terms on this, as on 
my former voyages to this place, namely, forty dollars per 
month, one hundred barrels of flour, freight free, and other per- 
quisites. My flour sold very well, but not so high as on the 
preceding voyage. 

We left Lisbon for !New York on the 1st of December, and 
had a long, boisterous passage, with almost constant gales from 
the westward. Sometimes we were favored with a fair wind 
for a few hours, but generally had head winds and very rough, 
stormy weather. On the 17th of January, 1813, at 10 p. m. we 
fell in with the blockading British squadron about twenty miles 
off Sandy Hook. It being dark and squally, we eluded the 
fleet, and on the afternoon of the 19th arrived at Kew York. 

As a striking proof that superior talent and enterprise find 
their level and consequent reward in the United States, I will 
give a slight historical sketch of one of the young gentlemen 
who was with me before the mast on this voyage. He was 
from Connecticut, of a good family, but, like many others from 
that region of country, was thrown on his own resources in very 



THIRD VOYAGE IN THE SniP AMERICA. 157 

early life. The subject of this memoir is the well-known Mr. 
William W. De Forest. Before joining my ship he had made 
a sealing voyage to the western coast of South America, thence 
to Canton, and back to the United States. 

During the time he was with me, I ever found him ready 
and willing to perform all his duties with vigilance and activity, 
and at this early period it was easy to see that he would become 
a prominent man, in whatever situation in life he should be 
placed. When discharged from the America, he entered into 
mercantile pursuits, and from that day to the present time, has 
been constantly increasing in wealth and commercial influence. 
For many years he has been one of the leading shipping mer- 
chants in New York. He has been the architect of his own for- 
tune, and I am happy to say his wealth is not confined to his own 
wants. On the contrary, it has been his great delight to build 
up very many young men who have fallen within the sphere of 
his influence, and also to be of service to all those connected 
with him. We frequently find his name among those whose 
charitable acts contribute to the benefit of humanity and civili- 
zation. His success in life will prove to the young men of the 
present age that, though they may not inherit large estates, by 
industry and perseverance they can attain to fortune and re- 
spectability. 

After this sketch, it only remains for me to add, that this 
gentleman has been one of my personal friends for more than 
forty years. 



CHAPTER XXL 

TOYAGE TO FRANCE, AND A SHOUT CRUISE IN THE BAY OF BISCAY, IN 
THE LETTER-OF-MARQUE SCHOONER " DAVID PORTER," IN THE YEARS 
1813 AND 1814. 

All the ships belonging to Messrs. A. Gracie & Sons being 
laid up, they had at the time no further occasion for my 
services, which I did not regret, not from any want of regard 
for mj employers, who were good, just and liberal men, but I 
was glad to go into some other business. I had serious doubts 
about the propriety and justice of supplying the British with 
breadstuff's and provisions while my country was at war with 
that nation. It is true, I had made the last two voyages to 
Lisbon in the same business, but was never quite satisfied 
that it was right, and was glad of an opportunity to leave 
the trade. 

At this period of the war, there were but three ways for 
captains of merchant ships to find employment in their vocation, 
namely, to enter the United States ISTavy as sailing-masters, to 
go privateering or command letters-of-marque, carry cargoes, as 
it were force trade, and light their way or run, as the case might 
be ; and, as an alternative, I chose that of a letter-of-marque. 
I gave myself some weeks leisure, and then consulted a few 
friends on the subject of purchasing a pilot-boat schooner, and 
going into the French trade. After looking about for a suitable 
vessel, I at length met with a fine schooner of about 200 tons 
burden, called the " David Porter" She was built in my na- 
tive town, and had made but one voyage, which was from New 
York to St. Jean de Luz, France, thence to St. Bartholomew, 
and from that place to Providence, E. I., where she then lay. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 159 

She was a fine, fast-sailing vessel, and tolerably well armed, 
having a long eighteen pounder on a pivot amidships, four six 
pounders, with muskets, pistols, etc. I purchased one-half of 
this schooner for $6000, from the former owners in Milford. 
They retained the other half for their own account. My New 
York friends, Messrs. Lawrence and Whitney, and James Lo- 
vett, Esq., bought one quarter, and I retained the other. 

We decided on a voyage from Providence to Charleston, S. 
C, and thence to France. I arrived at Providence on the 21st 
of October, 1813. Here I purchased fifteen hundred bushels of 
salt at sixty-five cents per bushel, from Messrs. Archibald Grade 
& Sons, and after getting it on board, filled up the vessel with 
sundry articles of Northern produce : the whole cargo amounted 
to $3,500. I took with me as first lieutenant, my former mate 
in the Canton, Mr. Samuel Nichols, Joseph Anthony second, and 
Charles Coggeshall third lieutenant, with a company of about 
thirty petty officers and men. My boatswain, carpenter and 
gunner, with several of the seamen, had just been discharged 
from the frigate President, so that I was fortunate in obtaining 
a good crew for my schooner, mostly composed of active, young 
Americans. 

I left Providence on the 10th of November, with a fine fresh 
gale from the N. N. W., and in a few hours ran down to New- 
port, there to lie a few days, get ready for sea, and "wait a favor- 
able time to go out of the harbor. To do that, required a dark 
night and a north-east snow-storm ; for in those days, to evade the 
vigilance of the enemy, we were obliged to wait for such nights 
to leave or enter our ports. On the morning of the 11th, I met 
with a New York friend, Andrew Foster, Esq., and to him I 
committed what little treasure I had left after getting ready for 
sea. The whole consisted of thirty guineas, sundry bank-notes 
and my gold watch. I requested him to stop at Stamford, Con- 
necticut, on his way to New York, and leave them with my 
sister, Miss H. C. Mr. Foster kindly executed this little com- 
mission, for which and many other favors I was truly grateful, 
and am furthermore happy to add, that he was a gentleman of 
sterling integrity, and a most worthy, excellent man. 



160 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POKTEE. 

At this time there was a British fleet of a seventy-four gun 
ship and several frigates cruising off the harbor of Newport, 
to blockade the port, and watch every movement of the United 
States frigate President, Commodore Rodgers. For during the 
war the English seemed to dread an American frigate's getting 
to sea, as they would an unchained lion. Commodore Rodgers 
had recently returned here after a long cruise off the North 
Cape, and along the north-west coasts of England and Scotland. 
After remaining for several weeks and making many prizes in 
these northern seas, he proceeded down into more southern lati- 
tudes, where he greatly distressed the enemy. A few days pre- 
vious to his arrival, while off Nantucket, he captured by strata- 
gem the British government schooner " High Flyer." He 
safely reached this port with his prize the 26th of September, 
and to avoid any annoyance from the enemy, he proceeded up 
to Providence to refit for another cruise. 

Towards evening, on the 14th of November, I got under 
way, with the wind at E. N. E. No vessel was permitted to go 
to sea without first presenting a clearance to the commanding 
officer at the outer fort, at the entrance of the harbor. Conse- 
quently I ran down near the fort just before dark, and for fear 
of any mistake or detention, took my papers, went myself to the 
commanding officer, and got permission to pass by showing a 
light in the main shrouds for a few minutes. It soon com- 
menced snowing, with a fresh gale at N. E. We ran rapidly 
out of the harbor, and now had arrived the crisis for me to 
make my escape through the enemy's fleet. They being large 
objects, I could plainly see the lights through their ports and 
cabin-windows As we showed no lights, we succeeded in pass- 
ing between them, and thus effected our escape. My greatest 
fear now was of running on to Block Island, but a kind Provi- 
dence directed us through these perils, and daylight once more 
found us on the broad ocean, clear of all land with not a sail in 
sight. 

On the 17th, in lat, 36° 4' N., long, about 73° W., we were 
chased by a man-of-war brig. He being to windward, 1 bore 
off, and soon had the pleasure to run him out of sight. On the 
24th, off Georgetown, we were chased all day by a man-of-war 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 161 

brig, with a schooner in company. They being to leeward, I 
tacked and plied to windward, and made good my retreat be- 
fore night. I could have got into Georgetown the next day, but 
fearing that my cargo would not sell as well as at Charleston, I 
stood on for that port. 

JSTov. the 26th, at 6 o'clock, daylight, in ten fathoms of 
water, off Cape Roman, saw a man-of-war brig on our weather 
quarter, distant about three miles. He soon made sail in chase. 
I kept wide off to leeward in hopes of drawing him down, so that 

I could weather him on the opposite tack. This manoeuvre did 
not succeed, as the enemy only kept off about four points. We 
both therefore maintained our relative positions, and the chase 
continued for four hours. I had determined not to run to lee- 
ward, for fear of coming in contact with another foe, but to 
hug the wind and run in shore ; for, at this period, it was the 
usual practice with the British ships of war, on our coast, to 
separate and cruise some thirty or forty miles asunder, one to 
windward and the other to leeward, so that if our merchant 
ships ran off to leeward, they were often caught between 
two fires. 

At ten o'clock, a. m., saw Charleston light-house, bearing 
north, about ten miles distant. I set my ensign, and hauled 
close to the wind ; this brought the enemy on my starboard 
beam, at long gunshot distance. I then fired my centre gun, 
but could not quite reach him, the wind being light from the 
northward. At half-past ten I gave him another shot, and 
though it did not take effect, with a spy-glass I saw the shot 
dash the water on his quarter. I suppose the reason he did not 
fire was, that he could not reach us with his carronades. At 

II ditto, when within five miles of Charleston Bar, I saw two 
schooners coming over it, and bearing directly down upon 
the brig, when he squared his yards and ran away to leeward. 
The man-of-war brig probably knew the determined character 
of Captain Diron, and the force of his schooner, the Decatur, 
and when he saw her and two schooners in company, all hav- 
ing their ensigns flying, he no doubt thought that three to one 
were too many, even though they were but private armed ves- 
sels, which at that time the English affected tg. despise. Be 

11 



162 VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONEK DAVID POKTEK. 

this as it may, he squared his yards, ran away to leeward, and 
thus left ns unmolested to pursue our respective courses. The 
two schooners were the famous privateer Decatur, of Charles- 
ton, with seven guns, and a complement of over a hundred 
men, and the letter-of-marque Adeline, Capt. Craycroft, of 
Philadelphia, bound to France. The schooners took no notice 
of the brig, hauled to the eastward, and were quickly out of 
sight. I soon crossed the bar, got up to Charleston without any 
further difficulty, and there learned that the man-of-war brig 
was the Dotterel, carrying eighteen guns. 

It will doubtless be recollected by all those who are familiar 
with our late war with England, that the privateer Decatur, 
Capt. D. Diron, captured a few months before this period His 
B. M. schooner Dominico. The following is the official account 
of the action : 

Copy. 

Charleston, August 21s<, 1813. 

Sm : — I have the honor to inform you that the privateer 
schooner Decatur, Capt. Dominique Diron, of this port, arrived 
here yesterday with His B. M. schooner Dominico, her prize.- 
She was captured on the 5th inst, after a most gallant and 
desperate action of one hour, and carried by boarding ; having 
all her officers killed or wounded except one midshipman. 
The Dominico mounted fifteen guns, one thirty-two pounder 
on a pivot, and had a complement of eighty-three men at 
the commencement of the action, sixty of whom were killed 
or wounded. She was one of the best equipped and manned 
vessels of her class I have ever seen. The Decatur mounted 
seven guns, and had a complement of one hundred and three 
men at the commencement of the action, nineteen of whom 
were killed and wounded. I have the honor to be, with great 
respect, your most obedient servant, 

JOHN H. DENT. 
Hon. ¥m. Jones, Secretary of the Wavy. 

During the combat, which lasted an hour, the King's 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEK. 163 

packet-ship Princess Charlotte remained a silent spectator of 
the scene, and as soon as the vessels were disengaged from each 
other she tacked about and stood to the southward. She had 
sailed from St. Thomas, bound to England, under convoy of the 
Dominico, to a certain latitude. The loss on board the Domin- 
ico consisted of killed thirteen, wounded forty-seven, five of 
whom mortally. 

On my arrival at Charleston, I appointed Mr. John Mar- 
shall our. consignee and commercial agent. We disposed of 
most of our cargo at a good profit, the salt at $1 50 per bushel, 
and the other articles at like good rates. 

After disj^osing of my cargo, I found no difficulty in ob- 
taining a freight for France ; but before I could commence 
taking in my cotton, was obliged to purchase about twenty-five 
tons of pig-iron at $65 per ton, and some other small iron 
ballast. The whole amounted to $1700 ; but it was indispensa- 
ble, for I could not take a cargo of cotton safely without it. 
My whole cargo consisted of three hundred and thirty-one bales 
of compressed cotton, and sixteen kegs of potash ; two hun- 
dred and nine of these bales I took on freight at twenty-six cts. 
per pound, and five per cent, primage. The whole amount of 
my freight was $14,717, exclusive of the one hundred and 
twenty-two bales belonging to the owners of the vessel. Allow- 
ing the owners to pay the same proportion or rate of freight 
as the other shippers, the schooner would have made a gross 
freight of about $23,300, which was certainly a great price 
for carrying three hundred and thirty-one bales of cotton to 
France. For the one hundred and twenty-two bales purchased 
for owners' account, I paid fourteen cents per pound ; a more 
ordinary quality could have been bought for twelve to thirteen 
cents. About forty bales of the cotton belonging to the owners, 
I carried on deck. It certainly appears like an enormous 
freight to make $23,000 in a small schooner of only two hun- 
dred tons ; but when the expense of sailing one of these letters-of- 
marque is taken into consideration, it is not so great as might 
at first appear. The insurance at this time out of France, was 
from fifteen to twenty per cent. — seamen's wages $30 per 
month- -and other expenses in like proportion. 



164 VOYAGE Df THE SCHOONEK DAVID POKTEK. 

On the 16th of December I finished loading, got -all the 
crew on board, and the next day was ready for sea; but 
unfortunately the wind blew fresh from the southward, with 
dark, disagreeable, rainy weather. . - 

The Congress of the United States had lately assembled at 
Washington, and great fears were entertained by many that 
an embargo would soon be laid. I was, of course, extremely 
anxious to get out of port, as such a measure would have been 
ruinous to myself and the other owners of my vessel. As it was 
impossible to get over the bar while the wind was blowing strong, 
directly on shore, I therefore, to avoid being stopped, and keep 
my men on board, judged it best to drop as low down the harbor 
as possible, and watch the first favorable moment to proceed to 
sea. Fortunately it cleared up the next day, and with a favorable 
breeze and fine weather, I left the port of Charleston on the 20th, 
bound to Bordeaux. I had a good run off the coast, and met 
with nothing worth remarking until the 27th, about a week after 
leaving port, when I fell in with a small English brig from Ja- 
maica, bound to Nova Scotia. As it was about four o'clock in 
the afternoon, and blowing a strong gale from the 1ST. W., with 
a high sea running, I did not think it safe to board him until the 
gale should moderate and the sea become smoother. I therefore 
ordered him to carry as much sail as possible, and follow me on 
our course to the eastward until better weather. He reluctantly 
followed, and once before dark I was obliged to hail and give 
him to understand that if he showed too great a disposition to 
lag behind, or did not carry all the sail his brig could bear, he 
would feel the effect of one of my stern guns. This threat had 
the desired effect, and he followed kindly at a convenient dis- 
tance until midnight, when it became very dark and squally, and 
we soon after lost sight of our first prize, which I did not much 
regret, as I could not conveniently spare men enough to send 
him into port. 

From this time until we got near the European coast, we 
scarcely saw a sail, and did not meet with a single man-of-war. 
Thus, while the whole coast of the United States was literally 
lined with English cruisers, on the broad ocean there were very 
few to be seen : a clear proof that the risk of capture between 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 165 

Newport and Charleston, was infinitely greater than in going 
to France. 

At this period we were not obliged to deliver the goods on 
freight at any particular place, but at any port in France, from 
St. Jean de Luz to Ostend. My bills of lading were filled up 
upon this principle, to " Bordeaux or a port in France," so that 
on the arrival of the goods, the owners or agents were bound to 
receive them at any place where the vessel was fortunate enough 
to enter. My object was to get as near Bordeaux as possible; 
still I did not like to attempt entering the Garonne, as the Eng- 
lish generally kept several frigates and smaller vessels stationed 
directly off the Cordovan Light, which rendered it extremely 
difficult and hazardous. I therefore decided to run for the har- 
bor of La Teste. 

About a week before we got into port, while in the Bay of 
Biscay, namely on the 19th and 20th of Jan., we encountered 
one of the most severe gales from the westward that I ever ex- 
perienced. It commenced early on the morning of the 19th, and 
blew a perfect hurricane, which soon raised a high cross-sea. 
At eight o'clock, a. m., I hove the schooner to under a double- 
reefed foresail, lowered the fore-yard near the deck and got 
every thing as snug as possible. At twelve, noon, a tremen- 
dous sea struck her in the wake of the starboard fore-shrouds. 

The force of the sea broke one of the top timbers or stan- 
chions and split open the plank-sheer, so that 1 could see direct- 
ly into the hold. The violence of the blow, and the weight of 
water that came on board, threw the vessel nearly on her beam- 
ends. Fortunately the foresail was split and the bulwarks torn 
away by the water, and being thus relieved, she gradually right- 
ed. We then threw overboard two of the lee guns, water-casks, 
&c, and after nailing tarred canvas and leather over the broken 
plank-sheer, got ready to veer ship, fearing the injury received 
in the wake of the starboard fore-shrouds would endanger the 
foremast. We accordingly got ready to hoist a small piece of 
the mainsail, kept her off before the wind a few minutes, and 
watched a favorable, smooth time to bring her to the wind on 
the other tack. 

During the time that the schooner ran before the wind, she 



166 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEE. 

appeared literally to leap from one sea to another. We- soon, 
however, brought her up to the wind on the other tack without 
accident, and thus under a small piece of the mainsail, she lay 
to pretty well. As the gale continued to rage violently, I feared 
we might ship another sea, and therefore prepared, as it were, 
to anchor the vessel head to wind. For this purpose we took a 
square-sail boom, spanned it at each end with a new four-inch 
rope, made our small bower cable fast to the bight of the span, 
and with the other end fastened to the foremast, threw it over- 
board, and payed out about sixty fathoms of cable ; she then 
rode like a gull on the water, and I was absolutely astonished to 
see the good effect of this experiment. The spar broke the sea, 
and kept the schooner nearly head to the wind until the gale 
subsided. 

The next day, in the afternoon, we again made sail, and on 
the 26th, six days after this tempest, got safe into La Teste, 
thirty-seven days from Charleston. While we providentially 
escaped destruction, other ships were less fortunate ; many ves- 
sels were stranded and wrecked along the coast; five sail of 
English transports were thrown on shore near La Teste, and 
most of their crews perished in the same gale. On my arrival, all 
my papers were sent up to Paris, and although all well, we were 
compelled by the government to ride quarantine for six days. 

La Teste is a poor little village, principally supported by 
fish and oysters taken in its waters and sold in Bordeaux, from 
which city it is distant thirty miles, and fifty-four from the mouth 
of the Garonne. The harbor has a bad sand-bar at its mouth ; 
is fit entrance only for small vessels of a light draft of water ; 
and even for them it is dangerous to approach in bad weather. 

I will here insert a copy of the first letter written to my 
owners. 

" Messrs. Lawrence and Whitney, Strong and Miles, and James 
Lovett, Esq. 

" Gentlemen : — I arrived here on the 20th of last month, 
after a rough passage of thirty-seven days. No sale at all can 
be had for cotton and no security for any thing ; the agents and 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEK. 167 

owners of the cotton are unwilling to receive it, and one and all 
refuse to pay the freight. As soon as I can obtain permission, 
I shall discharge the vessel, forward all the cargo up to Bor- 
deaux by land, and endeavor by law to force the consignees of 
the cotton to receive it. In fine, I shall be happy if they do not 
throw the cotton on my hands for the freight. 

" JSTo merchant in Bordeaux is willing to advance me half 
the amount of the freight due, and retain it as security. In 
short, it is with the greatest difficulty I can obtain sufficient 
money from my consignees, Messrs. Brun freres, to pay the 
necessary disbursements on my vessel. It is therefore at pre- 
sent impossible for me to say what I shall do. If I could col- 
lect my freight, I could remit the amount to the United States 
through England, and gain on the exchange from seventeen to 
twenty per cent. ; or if I could get enough advanced on my 
cotton to purchase part of a cargo of wine and brandy, and 
return to some port in the United States or the West Indies, I 
could perhaps pick up the residue of a cargo from the enemy 
on the broad ocean. 

" As I am now situated, I know not what to do. Should 1 
send my vessel home by my first officer, and he be captured on 
the way, you would perhaps blame me, and say, ' Why did he 
not come home in the vessel himself?' To leave the freight 
and cargo here in the hands of strangers, I cannot ; dispose of 
the cotton at a ruinous sacrifice, I will not ; and on the other 
hand, to keep the vessel here upon expense is very painful. 
As you will perceive the whole business is beset with diffi- 
culties, and hedged in on every side. You may, however, rely 
upon my best exertions to promote your interest ; and come 
what will, you may rest assured, gentlemen, that I shall act 
from pure motives and strive to do justice to the utmost of my 
abilities." 

After performing six days' quarantine, I proceeded on horse- 
back to Bordeaux. The road being intricate and somewhat 
difficult, I hired a guide to accompany me the greater part of 
the way. We often had to pass over barren sands and through 
pine forests. My guide was a merry fellow. He was mounted 



168 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEE. 

on stilts about two feet high, and with a long balance-pole and 
a musket slung over his shoulder, had no difficulty in keeping 
up with mj horse, travelling at the rate of five or six miles an 
hour. "We passed through several small towns and villages on 
the way, but none of much note. I found the inhabitants civil 
and kind, but poor and ignorant. The inns and stopping-places 
were dirty and comfortless. After an unpleasant ride of six 
hours we arrived at Bordeaux. Here I made an arrangement 
with the house of Messrs. Brim freres, to transact my business 
in this place, and direct me how to proceed with respect to land- 
ing my cargo at La Teste. I remained at Bordeaux two days, 
and having settled on a plan with respect to landing and storing 
my cargo, returned to La Teste. There being no public con- 
veyance, I was compelled to return on horseback. 

From Messrs. Brun freres I took a letter to Madame Caupos, 
a widow lady, whose husband had been a merchant, and after 
his death she continued to transact nearly all the commercial 
business of the place. She was polite, well educated, and a 
person of excellent character. To this lady I consigned my ves- 
sel and cargo so far as it respected La Teste, and agreed with her 
to attend to the landing, weighing, storing and forwarding of 
my cotton to Bordeaux. She owned two large warehouses, 
had every facility and convenience for storing my whole cargo, 
and, with one young man as clerk, performed the whole busi- 
ness to my entire satisfaction. In fact she was the only person 
in the town capable of receiving and forwarding my cargo to 
Bordeaux. 

Though La Teste was a poor little town without much trade, 
yet there were there several polite, agreeable and well-bred 
families ; and although the port was difficult of ingress and 
egress on account of a dangerous bar, within the ha.bor it was 
quite safe from all winds. 

After several days' detention, waiting permits from Bor- 
deaux, bad weather, etc., I at length finished discharging my 
cargo, and had it all safely stored on the 15th of February ; but. 
on account of the bad state of the roads, and the difficulty of 
obtaining carts, I was unable to get the cotton up to Bor- 
deaux. France was now in a very unsettled state, threatened 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 1G9 

by its enemies on every side. It was reported, while I was 
there, that a part of the Russian and Austrian armies were 
within thirty leagues of Paris, that Lord Wellington with his 
army was in the Landes in pursuit of Marshal Soult, who was 
on his way to Toulouse, and great fears were entertained that a 
part of the English army would soon be in Bordeaux. I was 
therefore extremely anxious to get away at all hazards, not 
knowing whether the English would respect private persons and 
private property. 

In this state of things I wrote to nry owners on the 7th of 
March. The following is an extract from my letter : — ■ 

" I have this day returned from La Teste, where I have been 
staying the last week, getting my vessel ready for sea. I have 
at length prevailed on Messrs. JBrun freres to advance me money 
enough to pay my disbursements, and also to furnish me with 
sufficient means to purchase one hundred casks of wine, and 
fifty pipes of brandy. I have chartered a small vessel to trans- 
port the wine and brandy from this place to La Teste, and got 
it insured here against all risks for seven per cent, premium. 
I hope the chasse-maree, with the wine and brandy, will arrive 
safe at La Teste the day after to-morrow, when I shall return to 
that place and send the schooner off to New York, as soon as pos- 
sible, under command of my first officer, Mr. Samuel Nichols. 

" "We are all in hubbub and confusion here, and threatened 
on all sides by the enemy. All my cargo is still lying in store 
at La Teste, except about twenty bales of cotton, which are here 
in the hands of Messrs. Brim freres. I have had much trouble 
and anxiety since I arrived, have been obliged to make frequent 
journeys on horseback between this place and La Teste, and 
sometimes compelled to ride half the night, and take shelter 
where I could best find it on the road. 

" All the American vessels have left this place, for fear of 
the English, and gone down near the mouth of the Garonne. 
Some are bound home to America, others will strive to get to 
La Rochelle, as that is a strongly fortified town, and will prob- 
ably hold out longer than this place. Every day brings us 
worse news from Paris and other quarters, and, from present 
appearances, this country cannot hold out much longer." 



170 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTEK. 

The large tract of country lying between Bayonne and 
Bordeaux is familiarly called the Landes. It is bounded on 
the west by the Bay of Biscay, extends about twenty-five 
leagues east into the interior, and is, I think, the poorest part 
of France. The face of the country is generally low, flat, sandy 
and barren. Its forests consist principally of pine or fir trees, 
and the land is, for the most part, miserably cultivated. The 
peasantry are wretchedly poor, and chiefly clothed in sheep- 
skins. The Basque is the language of the country, and it is 
only the upper classes or educated people, who speak French. 
In the summer season the sands are extremely hot, and in the 
spring and fall months the country, being low, is often wet 
and muddy; which, I suppose, is the cause of so many of the 
country people, particularly the peasants and shepherds, walk- 
ing on stilts, a foot or two above the ground, with long balance- 
poles to support them and regulate their movements. I have 
seen them in the morning at a distance, when the weather was 
a little foggy ; they absolutely appeared like giants, walking 
over the tall grass and small trees. I used frequently to ask 
them why they perferred walking on stilts. Their answer gen- 
erally was, to keep their feet dry, remarking also, that they 
could travel much faster, and with more ease than with their 
feet on the ground. 

This region is very unlike the other parts of France ; and 
should a stranger visit the Landes, without seeing any other por- 
tion of the kingdom, he would naturally conclude that the 
French nation was only about half civilized. I recollect the 
first time I landed at La Teste, I was forcibly struck with what 
I there witnessed. 

The pilot who took my vessel into port, came off 1 in a boat 
rowed (I had almost said manned) by four females. After the 
schooner came to anchor, I took one of my sailors with me, 
and returned to the shore in the pilot's boat. We struck on 
the sand, where the water was too shallow for the boat to come 
to the beach ; when one of the women immediately jumped into 
the water, took the huge pilot on her back, and carried him 
some distance to the dry land. Another female offered to carry 
me in the same way ; to this I would not consent. The sailor, 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK DAVID PORTEK. 171 

like myself, appeared ashamed to see a female cany a man on 
her back through the surf, and instantly jumped out and took 
me on his back to the dry beach. It is true, these women 
were coarse and rough, but still they were females, and it was 
therefore impossible for either my sailor or myself so to degrade 
them. All along the road, from La Teste to Bordeaux, I rarely 
saw a man at work in the fields ; nearly all the labor of cultivat- 
ing the lands, at that time, was performed by females. Now 
and then, it is true, I saw an old man, and perhaps a boy, but 
this did not often occur. All the men, from sixteen to sixty, 
were pressed into the military service. It was often a melan- 
choly sight, when passing through the towns and villages, to see 
mere boys forced from their parents, taken to some military 
depot, there to be drilled a few weeks, and then sent to some of 
the numerous armies, to be slaughtered like so many sheep and 
cattle. 

Although at this period the Austrian and Russian armies 
were in the neighborhood of Paris, and Lord "Wellington at the 
head of his victorious army was overrunning the south of 
France, it was astonishing to see how little was known to the 
country people of this region, about the military state of the 
Empire. Perhaps not a man in a thousand knew that there 
was a Russian or an English soldier within a hundred leagues 
of France. One day, in passing through a small village, I stop- 
ped at a house to get some water, and found a poor woman 
wringing her hands and weeping, as if her heart would break. 
On inquiring the cause of her grief, she said, " Sir, they have 
just taken away my son to join the army, and I have already 
lost two of my children in the same way. Oh ! I shall never 
see him again ! " I offered the poor woman all the consolation 
I could. I told her I was a stranger, and had no right to inter- 
fere with the affairs of another nation, but, at the same time, if 
she would keep quiet, I could assure her there was no clanger 
of losing her son — that the wars were nearly at an end, and 
that peace, in all human probability, would be concluded in a 
few weeks, when her son would be restored to her again. At 
these words the poor creature was completely overjoyed, and 
blessed me a thousand times. When I mounted my horse and 



172 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEK. 

rode off, I could not but reflect with indignation on what men 
call military glory ; but, at the next moment, I felt self-reproved, 
as I, too, commanded an armed vessel, and expected to go out in 
a few days to distress the enemies of my country. How 
strange and inconsistent is poor short-sighted man, condemning 
others when committing the same offence for which he would 
denounce his neighbor. 

I soon saw that the French ladies and the working women 
are removed an immeasurable distance from each other ; almost 
as much so as though they did not belong to the same species. 
I often used to spend a social evening at the hospitable mansion 
of my consignee, Madame Caupos, and saw there assembled 
some fifteen or twenty young ladies, and generally not more 
than three or four gentlemen. These were military officers, who 
had been wounded and disabled in the wars, and were now here 
attached to the Custom House. This was certainly a sad state 
of society in a national point of view, when there were no young 
men to marry the fair daughters of France. 

Madame Caupos was an amiable, benevolent lady, and de- 
servedly beloved by the whole town ; by way of pleasantry, I 
used often to call her, " La Heine du Tillage." 

The state of affairs in France daily grew worse and worse. 
Lord Wellington was following Marshal Soult day after day to- 
wards Toulouse. We also received bad news from the North, 
that the Austrians and Prussians were daily advancing on Paris, 
and were then within twenty leagues of that city. 

I received on the 5th a letter from Messrs. Bran freres, which 
induced me to hurry up to Bordeaux, and endeavor to bring my 
business to a better and more decided state, as they were disin- 
clined, in consequence of the unsettled state of the country, to . 
advance enough for my unavoidable expenses. On the 8th of 
March I hastened up from La Teste to Bordeaux, to prevent the 
chasse-maree from going round to La Teste, and agreed with 
the captain and owners of this vessel to proceed with the wine 
and brandy to La Rochelle, as soon as possible. I then made 
arrangements with my friends, Messrs. Bran freres, and left 
Bordeaux at six o'clock the same evening for La Teste. Soon 
after leaving the town, I overtook a French gentleman going 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 173 

there also. He was a military officer engaged on public busi- 
ness, and I found him a most agreeable travelling companion. 
We rode on, picking our way as well as we could, until it be- 
came very dark, when we lost our road, and could find no one 
to put us in the right path again. After wandering about till 
two o'clock after midnight, we came to a village, where, after 
knocking at several houses in vain, we at length found one into 
which we gained admittance. It was a small house with but 
two rooms, and uot one spare bed, but its inmates were civil and 
kind. "We were cold, wet, and hungry, and they gave us the 
best they had, which consisted of eggs, bread and sour wine. 
Even this was to us a grateful repast. We warmed and sweet- 
ened the wine, of which we drank freely, and then lay down on 
the floor by the fireside till daylight, when we again started for 
La Teste. We found we had wandered a great distance from 
the right road, and had still about a league to go before reach- 
ing the end of our journey. 

On my arrival at La Teste, I lost no time in preparing for 
sea. There was no other ship or vessel lying here, and no stone 
ballast ; I was therefore compelled to take in sand in my own 
boat, fill up our water casks and take them on board in the 
same way. We had no biscuit on board, and there was but one 
baker of any consequence in the town. I hastened to this im- 
portant character, and agreed to take all the bread he could 
make in two days, and thus, by hurrying and driving, I got 
ready for sea on the 11th of March. At the end of two days I 
called on the baker for my supply of bread, when, to my great 
mortification and disappointment, I could get only loaves enough 
to fill two bags. This, for a vessel bound to La Rochelle, with 
a crew of thirty-five in number, was certainly a very small 
allowance. It is true, I had salt beef and pork enough on board, 
but no vegetables or rice. 

On the 11th in the evening, by letters from Bordeaux, I 
learned that the day before, the town had surrendered by capit- 
ulation to a portion of Lord Wellington's army, that no person 
had been molested, and that perfect good order was observed 
throughout the city. All this appeared very well with respect 
to Bordeaux, but still I was fearful that the English would 



174 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEE. 

come down and take La Teste before I could get to sea. The 
next day, the wind being from the westward, the pilot would 
not take my vessel to sea. He said that it was impossible to 
get out ; that there was too great a swell on the bar, &c. On 
the 13th the weather was clear and the wind fresh at 1ST. N. E. 
In the morning I prevailed on the pilot to come on board. He 
told me that the tide would suit at five o'clock in the afternoon, 
and if there should not be too much sea on the bar at that hour, 
he would take the vessel out. Accordingly, at four 'o'clock I 
requested him to get under way, and be ready to pass the bar 
at five. 1 now found he was unwilling to go out at all. He 
said, " Captain, if we should succeed in getting out, it would be 
impossible to land me." I then offered him double pilotage, 
told him I was fearful the English would come down in the 
morning and make a prize of my vessel, that I would treble his 
pilotage, and pledge him my honor, that if I waited a week 
outside, I would land him in safety. At last my patience was 
exhausted, and I found the more I coaxed and strove to per- 
suade him to go, the more obstinate he became. At length I 
said, "If you will not go to sea, pilot, just get the schooner 
under way and go down below the fort, and anchor there within 
the bar." To this proposition he consented. 

"While getting under way, I went below, put into my pocket 
a loaded pistol, and again returned on deck. We soon got be- 
low the fort, and it was five o'clock, precisely the hour he had 
named as the most suitable to pass out over the bar. I then 
placed the pistol to his ear, told him to proceed to sea or he was 
a dead man, and that if the schooner took the ground his life 
should pay the forfeit. The poor.fellow was terribly frightened, 
said he would do his best, and in less than fifteen minutes from 
the time we filled away, we were fairly over and outside of this 
formidable bar. I then discharged the pistol, assured the pilot 
I would do him no harm, and that I would wait a week if it 
was necessary, for good weather to land him in safety. He 
now appeared more tranquil and composed, but would not re- 
frain from talking occasionally of his poor wife and children, and 
seemed to have a lurking fear that I would carry him to Amer- 
ica. I stood off and on during the night, and in the morning, 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 175 

March 14th, the wind was light off shore from the eastward ; as 
the sea was smooth, I stood close in to the beach, and got out 
our boat ready to land the pilot. I sent by him several letters 
to my. friends, and an order on Madame Caupos for a consider- 
able sum over and above his regular pilotage, notwithstanding 
I had compelled him to take my vessel to sea. At eight o'clock 
in the morning, my second officer with four men took Mr. Pilot 
on shore. I gave the officer of the boat positive orders to back 
the boat stern on to the shore, and let the pilot jump out when- 
ever he could do so with safety. I took a spyglass, and had the 
pleasure to see the man land, and scamper up the beach. The 
boat soon returned and was hoisted on board, when we made sail 
and stood off in a 1ST. W. direction. 

The wind was light from the eastward, the weather fine and 
clear. During the night we had not much wind, and of course 
made but little progress. At daylight, March 15th, saw a large 
ship on our weather quarter. I soon made her out to be a 
frigate, distant about two miles. "We were now in a very un- 
pleasant position, early in the morning, with a frigate dead to 
windward. I manoeuvred for some ten or fifteen minutes in 
hopes of drawing him clown to leeward, so that I should be able 
to weather him on one tack or the other. This was often done 
at the commencement of the war with American schooners, 
for if the pilot-boats could succeed in getting the enemy under 
their lee, they would laugh at their adversary. This manoeuvre 
however did not succeed ; he only kept off four or six points, 
and I have no doubt, thought it impossible for me to elude his 
grasp. All this time I was losing ground, and the ship not 
more than two gun shots to windward. 

I held a short consultation with my officers on the subject 
of attempting to get to windward (which would involve our 
receiving a broadside), or by running off to leeward. They all 
thought it best to ply to windward, and receive his fire. I 
stated that we should have to pass him within pistol shot, and 
the probability was that he would shoot away some of our spars, 
in which case we should inevitably be captured. I knew the 
schooner sailed very fast off the wind, and thought the chance 
of escape better to run to leeward. I accordingly gave orders 



176 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POUTER. 

to get the square-sail and studding-sails all ready to run up at 
the same moment ; thus, when every thing was prepared, the 
helm was put up, and every square-sail set in a moment. 

The frigate not dreaming of my running to leeward, was 
unprepared to chase off the wind, and I should think it was at 
least five minutes before he had a studding-sail set, so that I 
gained about a mile at the commencement of the chase. The 
wind was light from the E. N. E. and the weather yery fine. I 
ordered holes bored in all the water-casks except four, and the 
water pumped into buckets to wet the sails, also to throw over- 
board sand-ballast to lighten the schooner. After this was clone, 
we began to draw away from the frigate, so that at noon, I had 
gained about eight or ten miles on the chase. At four in the 
afternoon he was nearly out of sight, and appeared like a speck 
on the water. "We had now time to look into our own situation, 
when to my great regret, in lieu of having four casks of water, 
the carpenter in the confusion had only left two ; and as the 
wind freshened, I found the schooner so light that it was unsafe 
to haul upon the wind. 

Sea-faring men will appreciate my unfortunate situation. 
Thus wide off to sea in the Bay of Biscay, in a light vessel, with 
scarcely ballast enough to stand upon her bottom, with a crew 
of thirty-five men, and only two casks of fresh water and a few 
loaves of soft bread. 

The wind, was light during the night, and towards morning 
it became almost calm. At daylight, to our unspeakable joy, 
we were in the midst of a small fleet of merchant ships. They 
had left England under convoy of a frigate and a sloop-of-war, 
had separated in a gale of wind a few days before I fell in 
with them, and were now like a flock of sheep without a shep- 
herd. This little fleet was bound to St. Sebastian, and many 
of them were loaded with provisions for the British army. The 
first one I captured was a brig, principally laden with provisions. 
After taking possession, I agreed with the captain that, if he 
would assist me with his boats and men to transport his cargo 
from his vessel to my schooner, I would let him go ; otherwise 
I would take what I wanted and destroy his brig. Of course 
he was glad to make the best of a bad bargain ; and thus with 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEB. 177 

the boats of both vessels, in two hours we had provisions enough 
for a three months' cruise. His cabin was filled with bags of 
hard biscuit, the staff of life, which we took first, then got a 
fine supply of butter, hams, cheese, potatoes, porter, &c, and 
last, though not least, six casks of fresh water. After this was 
done, the captain asked me if I would make him a present of 
the brig and the residue of the cargo, for his own private ac- 
count, to which I willingly agreed, in consideration of the as- 
sistance I had received from him and his men. 

I showed him my commission from the government of the 
United States, authorizing me to take, burn, sink or destroy our 
common enemy, and satisfied him that he was a lawful prize to 
my vessel. I then gave him a certificate, stating that though his 
brig was a lawful prize, I voluntarily gave her to him as a pres- 
ent. This, of course, was only a piece of foolery, but it pleased 
the captain and we parted good friends. 

This was on the 16th of March, the day after my escape from 
the British frigate. 

I had now got as much water and provisions as I wanted, 
and made sail for a ship and two brigs, a mile or two off on our 
lee beam. Although the wind was very light, I soon took all 
three of them, and made the same agreement with them as with 
the other captain, that if they would assist me with all their 
boats and men to load my schooner with such part of their cargo 
as best suited me, I would let them go, otherwise I would send 
them into port as prizes, or destroy their vessels. This was a 
bitter pill, but they had the choice of two evils, and, of course, 
complied with my request. "We soon commenced taking out of 
these prizes all sorts of stores designed for the British army, viz.: 
officers' and soldiers' clothing, cocked hats, epaulettes, small 
arms, instruments of music, etc. Independent of these warlike 
stores, we also took a considerable quantity of English cloths, and 
various other articles of merchandise. A fresh breeze sprang 
up from the S. W\, and the weather became dark and rainy, 
which rendered it difficult to continue transporting any more 
goods from the prizes to our schooner. At five o'clock in the 
afternoon, a large ship hove in sight to windward. From aloft, 
with a spyglass, I clearly made her out to be the same frigate 
12 



178 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POKTEK. 

that had chased me the day before. I recognized her from the 
circumstance of her having a white jib ; all the sails were dark 
colored except this jib, which was bleached. 

We of course cleared the decks and got ready for another 
trial of speed, but as my schooner was now in good trim, and 
night coming on, I had no doubt of dodging him in the dark. He 
came rapidly down within five or six miles of us, when I ran 
near my prizes, and ordered them all to hoist lanterns. None of 
them up to this time had seen the frigate, and while the lan- 
terns showed their positions, I hauled off silently in the dark. 
Very soon after this, I heard the frigate firing at his unfortunate 
countrymen, while we were partaking of an excellent supper at 
their expense. 

The next day it was dark and rainy, with strong gales from 
the S. W. ; saw nothing. Stood to the northward, under easy 
sail, waiting for better weather, to complete loading my little 
schooner with something valuable from another prize. 

I would here remark that small guns, six or nine pounders, 
are of little or no use on board of small vessels ; for if the sea is 
rough, they cannot be used at all. I have found them of no 
service, but rather in the way. My only dependence was on 
my eighteen pounder, mounted amidships, on a pivot. This 
gun I could use in almost any weather. With it, and forty 
small-arms, I found no difficulty in capturing merchant ships. 
I selected ten of the largest and strongest men I had on board to 
work the centre gun. One of them was a huge black man, 
about six feet six inches in height, and large in proportion. To 
him I gave the command of the gun. Although so powerful a 
man, he was the best-natured fellow in the world, and a general 
favorite, both with officers and men. 

March 18th. — Still a continuation of bad weather, with a 
strong gale from the westward. At four p. m., saw a frigate and 
a brig-of-war, off my lee-beam, distant about five miles. They 
made sail in chase, but under my three lower sails, mainsail, 
foresail, and jib, I had no fear of them. I showed my ensign 
for a few moments, then plied to windward, making short tacks, 
and in a few hours they gave up the chase, when I again pursued 
my course to the northward, under easy sail. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 179 

March 20th. — Moderate breezes from the westward, and un- 
pleasant weather. This day I came to the conclusion to land 
myself someAvhere on the coast of France, and to send my vessel 
home, under the command of my first officer, Mr. Samuel 
Nichols. On an examination of a chart of the coast, I concluded 
to run for Pile Dieu, and land there. Accordingly I shaped my 
course for the island, and without meeting with any incident 
worth relating, made the land on the 23d at four o'clock in the 
afternoon ; at six ditto landed on the island in my own boat. It 
soon became dark, and I was obliged to remain on shore, with 
my boat's crew, all night. 

I took with me my clearance and other papers from Bor- 
deaux, with sundry newspapers, and was well received by the 
Governor and Commissary of Marine. 

March %4th. — At six o'clock in the morning, although the 
weather was thick and rainy, and a strong breeze from the S. 
"W., I sent my boat on board the schooner with a pilot, with or- 
ders to get the vessel into the Roads, near the town, which is 
situated on the N. E. end of the island. At two in the after- 
noon, the schooner came directly off the town, close in within 
the fort, where, with our own boat, we took on board six casks 
of water, some fresh provisions, and sundry small stores. I then 
obtained liberty from the public authorities to dispatch my ves- 
sel to the United States. 

At five o'clock in the afternoon of March 24th, I repaired on 
board in a shore boat, and after writing a few hasty letters to 
my friends in the United States, and making a short address to 
my officers and men, I resigned the command to Mr. Samuel 
Nichols, and returned on shore with a heavy heart at parting 
with my little band of brave and faithful followers. 

The schooner was soon out of sight, as she stood round the 
south end of the island. And here I should be doing injustice 
to the memory of these brave men, did I not give my feeble tes- 
timony to their good conduct from the time we left Charleston 
until parting with them at Pile Dieu. I never saw one of them 
intoxicated in the slightest degree, nor did I ever see one of 
them ill-treat a prisoner, or attempt to plunder the smallest 
article. In a word, from the first lieutenant to the smallest boy 



180 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 

on board, they were faithful, good, and true men, and, to the 
best of my knowledge and belief, were all born and bred in 
the United States. 

After my schooner sailed, I had leisure to look at the island, 
which lies in lat. 46° 42' K long. 2° 27' "W. It is five 
leagues from the continent, directly opposite St. Gilles, is of a 
moderate height, abont three miles long and one and a half 
broad. It numbers about two thousand three hundred souls, 
and is principally supported by the fishing business. It is de- 
fended by a pretty strong fort at the mouth of the harbor, with 
a garrison of about three hundred men. Its produce is not suf- 
ficient for its own support ; on the contrary, I was told by sev- 
eral of the most respectable people that it only yields abont one 
quarter part of the breadstufls that are consumed by its inhabi- 
tants. It has a snug little harbor, but only accessible to small 
vessels of a light draft of water. The principal town is rather 
pleasant, and many of the houses are commodious and well 
built. 

This little island has become interesting from its historical 
association. 

On the 1st of October, 1795, an English squadron brought 
here a Bourbon prince and several thousand French emigrants 
from England, to join the royal party of La Yendee, and after 
the fleet of men-of-war and transports had remained here until 
about the 15th of November, the army debarked at St. Gilles, 
when the fleet returned to England.* 

When I landed at l'lle Dieu, I took with me, as one of the 
boat's crew, the large black man, Philip ; I was astonished to see 
the curiosity expressed here at the sight of a negro. He was 
followed at every step by a crowd of men, women and children, 
all desirous to see a black man ; and I soon received a pressing 
message from the Governor's lady to see him. I accordingly 
took Philip with me, and repaired to the residence of the Govern- 
or, where were assembled all the first ladies of the island. They 
had a great many questions to ask about him, respecting the 
place of his birth, whether he was kind and good-natured, &c. 

* See Thiers' History of the French Revolution. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTEK. 181 

"When their curiosity was gratified, the fellow begged of me as a 
favor to be allowed to go on board, as he did not like to be ex- 
hibited as a show. This request I readily granted, telling the la- 
dies and gentlemen that I had an Indian on board, and that I 
would send for him. The Indian came directly on shore, but, to 
my surprise, there appeared but little curiosity on the part of 
the inhabitants to see the savage. This island had been, as it 
were, shut out from the rest of the world for twenty-five or thir- 
ty years, with little or no commerce or communication with 
other nations, and it is therefore highly probable that very few 
of its inhabitants had ever seen a negro, and were of course ea- 
ger to behold one. 

Zt'He Dieu, March 25th. — Throughout this day, light winds 
from the westward, and clear, pleasant weather. I procured a 
passport from the Commissary of Marine, and was only waiting 
for a passage to St. Gilles. 

March 26th. — Light winds from the southward, with rain 
during the whole day, still waiting an opportunity to leave the 
island for the continent. 

Throughout the next day we had pleasant breezes from the 
IT. 1ST. E. and fine weather. At seven o'clock in the morning, I 
embarked on board the chasse-maree Mariana, Captain Brumel, 
and after a pleasant passage of three hours, arrived safe at St. 
Gilles — a small seaport town on the west coast of France, lying 
in lat. 46° 40' IN"., long. 1° 51' "W". It is an inconsiderable place, 
and only navigable for small vessels. 

At two o'clock in the afternoon, left this place on horseback 
for Sables d'Olonne, a pleasant little seaport town, about five 
leagues from St. Gilles. I reached my point of destination at 
six in the evening, and put up for the night. Here I ordered 
supper, and as the weather was somewhat chilly, I sat by the 
kitchen fire, where an omelet and some coffee were being pre- 
pared for my repast. These simple, honest-hearted people were 
waiting for the malle-poste, which did not arrive until ten 
o'clock. While the meal was being made ready, the following 
conversation took place between us : To what country do you 
belong ? Where are you from, and whither are you going ? — 
I am a North American, lately from Bordeaux and now on my 



182 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 

return to that city. Yerj soon the mother of the family ap- 
proached near me, and after examining my complexion, ob- 
served to her husband and the children that I was as white as 
they were, and that she had always thought the Americans were 
all Indians, and of a copper color. The aubergiste then asked 
me my religious faith, whether Catholic or Protestant. I re- 
plied I was a Protestant, but had no prejudice against the 
Catholics. He then said that some of his neighbors affirmed 
that persons of my faith were not as good as the Catholics, but 
that he did not believe it. He asserted that there was a village 
not far off where there were a majority of Protestants, and that 
they were very good people. 

I passed a pleasant evening with these simple-hearted peo- 
ple, and after a good night's rest, left with the courier at ten 
o'clock the next morning for Napoleon, at which place we ar- 
rived at three in the afternoon, having travelled seven leagues 
in a miserable vehicle. 

This is a newly built town, with several fine houses and 
broad streets. I had now got upon the great public road, and 
after agreeing to pay sixty francs for my passage to La Rochelle, 
left Napoleon, in the same vehicle, at five o'clock in the after- 
noon. At eight in the evening we arrived at the small village 
of Maria, and put up for the night, having travelled about five 
leagues. 

We left Maria at five in the morning, and travelled on the 
great public road. We passed through Lucan, and several 
other towns and villages, and arrived at La Pochelle (eighteen 
leagues from Napoleon), at five o'clock in the afternoon of the 
same day. 

Here I put up at the Hotel des Ambassadeurs, where I was 
delighted to meet with many of my countrymen, and once more 
to hear the sweet sound of my native language. I found lying 
here four American vessels : the privateer brig Rattlesnake, 
Captain Maffet, of Philadelphia ; the letter-of-marque brig Ida, 
Captain Jeremiah Mantor, of Boston ; the letter-of-marque 
schooner Commodore Decatur, Captain Brown, of Philadelphia, 
and also a merchant brig, Captain Smith. Besides the captains 
of these vessels, there were here several American gentlemen, 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 183 

supercargoes, waiting for passages to return to the United 
States. For several days after my arrival at La Rochelle, we 
were without news from Paris, as all communication had been 
cut off, and not a diligence was allowed to run on the road be- 
tween the two cities. The town was placed in a very anxious 
state of suspense ; every body knew that the allied armies were 
in the neighborhood of Paris, and no one dared to speak a syl- 
lable on the subject. At this time the military officers were 
seen conversing with each other in small groups, and appeared 
to be the only men that the government could rely upon. 

At length, on the 2d of April, news arrived in town that 
Paris had been taken by the allied armies on the 30th ultimo. 
The next day official orders arrived from that city, proclaiming 
the change of government. In the capitulation, Bonaparte was 
sent to Elba, and Louis XVIII. acknowledged King of France. 

In a few minutes some one mounted a white cockade, and 
very soon after, it became general ; and now it was " Vive le 
Hoi," " Yive Louis dix-huit ! " Although at that time I was no 
friend of the Emperor, I was disgusted with several poor devils, 
who, a few days before this great event, had extolled " Le grand 
Empereur " up to the skies, and now turned against him, call- 
ing him " Le prince des tyrans." This implication does not ap- 
ply at all to the military, nor to the respectable part of the in- 
habitants, but to some hotel keepers and other mean-spirited 
turncoats, such as infest every part of the globe. 

The Rattlesnake had been lying here some weeks. She put 
in here after a successful cruise off the coast of Norway, and 
round the north coast of England. Captain Maffet had taken a 
great many prizes on his last cruise : some he had manned and 
sent into port, others he had destroyed, and b}^ his gallant con- 
duct had rendered his country essential service in distressing 
the enemy. The BattlesnaJce was a fine brig. She mounted 
fourteen guns, and was well officered and equipped. Capt. M. 
told me that he captured a British transport ship with troops, 
after a smart engagement, that he had not a man killed in the 
action, and but one wounded ; that person was his marine officer, 
a young man belonging to New York, who was shot in the leg, 
and here taken to the hospital. He had the best medical aid, 



184: VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER DAVID POBTEK. 

and was tenderly nursed by the Sisters of Charity. He .was ad- 
vised by surgical men to have his leg amputated, and warned of 
the danger of delay. He would not consent to the operation, 
giving for reason that it would spoil his dancing. The good 
Sisters, seeing the young man daily becoming weaker and 
weaker, were extremely anxious that he should become a Chris- 
tian, meaning a Catholic. To gratify them he consented (at 
least in appearance) ; they were rejoiced, thinking, no doubt, 
they had been the means of saving the soul of a heretic. The 
poor fellow lingered a few weeks, and was followed to the grave 
by all the Americans in this place. 

The chasse-maree I chartered in Bordeaux to bring to this 
place one hundred casks of wine and fifty pipes of brandy, I 
found lying here, waiting orders with respect to its disposition. 
Capt. Mantor, who was bound to Boston in ballast, offered to 
take the wine and brandy at a very low freight, viz., at $45 
per ton. 

The Ida was a fine coppered brig of 272 tons burden, mount- 
ing eight long nine and twelve pounders, with a complement of 
thirty-five men. The cost of the wine and brandy, including 
the freight and charges for bringing it round to this port, 
amounted to twenty-five thousand francs, or say about five 
thousand dollars. We soon struck a bargain, and the next day 
put it on board his vessel, which, on the morning of the 8th of 
April, sailed from this port in company with the brig Rattle- 
snake^ Capt. Manet, and the letter-of-marque schooner Commo- 
dore Decatur, Capt. Brown, both of Philadelphia. 

These three vessels ran down on the north side of l'He de 
Re, between the island and the main-land. In this passage 
they met an English man-of-war brig and a schooner in com- 
pany, and were all driven back. The Rattlesnake and the Com- 
modore Decatur returned into port. ' The Ida lay to off the east 
end of the island long enough to discharge his pilot, and then 
made a bold dash down the south side of the island, in plain 
sight of the British fleet lying at anchor in the Roads off La 
Eochelle. 

I will here digress from the thread of my narrative, to insert 
the two following letters ; as they have an intimate connection 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 185 

with this subject, I think it better to place them here, than to 
leave them to a later date. 

Captain Jeremiah Mantor, formerly of the brig Ida of Boston: 

Dear Sir : Upon the score of old acquaintance, I herewith 
take the liberty of writing to you on the subject of the scenes 
through which we passed in our late war with England, in the 
years 1S13 and 1814, I have been for several months re-writ- 
ing my voyages, namely, from the year 1799 until I retired 
from the sea, in 1841. 

Now, my dear sir, you doubtless recollect that I commanded 
the letter-of-marque schooner David Porter, of New York, and 
that after I sent my vessel home from off l'lle Dieu, coast of 
France, I went on to La Rochelle, where we met on the 29th of 
March, 1814. You will also recollect that I shipped by you in 
the brig Ida, one hundred casks of wine and fifty pipes of 
brandy for Boston. I had no insurance on this property, and 
was of course extremely anxious for your safety. I recollect 
that you sailed from La Itochelle on the morning of the 8th of 
April, in company with the privateer-brig Rattlesnake, Captain 
Maffet, and the letter-of-marque schooner Commodore Decatur, 
Captain Brown, both of Philadelphia ; that you all three ran 
down between l'lle de Re and the main-land, and in that pas- 
sage met an English man-of-war brig with a schooner in com- 
pany, sent there to guard and block up the passage, and that 
you were all driven back. The Rattlesnake and Commodore 
Decatur returned into port, and off the east end of l'lle de Re 
you squared away, dashed down the south side of the island, 
and had to pass through the British fleet. At that time there 
lay at anchor in the Roads off La Rochelle, the Queen Charlotte, 
Admiral Lord Keith, and four ships of the line. I understood 
that one of these line-of-battle ships slipped her cables and made 
sail in pursuit of your brig. Although at the time of your sail- 
ing I was standing on the quay at La Rochelle, I still have but 
an imperfect idea of all that passed. And now, my dear sir, 
you would do me a great favor by giving me a detailed account 
of all you can recollect of your marvellous escape ; namely, the 
length of your passage home, the number of shot fired at you 



186 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POUTER. 

during the chase, whether they threw more than one shot on 
board of your brig, and any other incident you can call to mind 
will be gratefully received. 

Your bravery and good conduct in .evading the close pursuit 
of so many ships of war, ought to be published to the world. 
You certainly out-manoeuvred and out-sailed- them all, and I am 
satisfied that your prompt decision and gallant conduct saved 
the whole of the property intrusted to you. 

For this and many other kind favors, I remain your obliged 

and very grateful friend, 

GEORGE COGGESHALL. 

New York, January 5th, 1846. 



" West Tisbttry, Mass., ) 
Martha's Vineyard, Jan. 17th, 1846. f 
Captain George CoggeshaM : 

Dear Sir : I received your letter of the 5th inst., and am 
happy to hear from one of my old acquaintances. I often think 
of them and the scenes I have passed through during the years 
I have spent on the ocean. The voyage you speak of is well 
remembered, and it would not be possible, after the lapse of so 
many years, for me to give you a correct account of all my 
voyages during the late war ; but I will write you the particu- 
lars of that passage home, and you can make what use of them 
you think proper. 

I left La Rochelle in company with the Rattlesnake and 
Commodore Decatur, and ran out north of l'He de Re" with a 
fair wind. Saw two men-of-war ahead, hauled our wind, and 
stood back to the east end of l'lle de Re. I saw there was a 
risk in returning again into port, and might be taken there, so 
I determined at once to make a bold push ; discharged my pilot, 
and made all sail to pass the south end of the island. I saw in 
a moment several of the men-of-war under way upon my lee 
quarter. I was looking out for ships ahead, and as I opened the 
island, a schooner came down on my starboard side within 
musket shot ; she gave me a broadside and three cheers, shot 
away my studding-sail boom and main-stay, and some small 
rigging. I soon passed her, but the men-of-war were coming 
up under my lee, and the shot flying thick. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTEB. 187 

I soon saw another ship bearing clown upon my starboard 
side. There was but one way to escape, which was, up helm 
and bring all astern, or sink ; this was quickly done, and we 
crossed the bows of the head ship so near that I could hear them 
halloo on board plainly. 

The shot went most of it over me : one thirty-two pounder 
raked my deck and lodged in the bows, one cut my anchor off 
the bows and cut the chains at the same moment. I cut the 
cable and let the anchor go. My crew were on the other side 
of the deck, and in the hold heaving out ballast, which saved 
many lives. 

The vessels continued the chase until eleven at night ; after 
that I saw no more of them. I think there were as many as 
eight or ten in pursuit of me. I stood out to sea, and at day- 
light saw two frigates right ahead, and had just time to haul 
upon the wind, not knowing but that I should upset, as I had 
lightened the brig so much that night ; I had thrown overboard 
six nine-pounders during the night, and soon found her ready 
for another chase. 

At dark I had gained four or five miles upon them ; one 
was on my lee quarter, and the other astern. I was headed 
into the bay, and dared not risk to get before the wind. 

About nine p. m. the shutter to the binnacle fell, and they 
saw my light. They made signals one to the other, and that 
showed me where they were. I immediately bore up before 
the wind, and at daylight saw them hull down. I now had 
once more the wide ocean, but my brig was light, which made 
my passage rather long. I think it was twenty-six days. 

Nothing more worth relating took place during our passage. 
I made two voyages to France, and one to ISTew Orleans in the 
war, and passed through many scenes which often come to my 
mind, now I have settled down in my old age to think of the 
many dangers and escapes that I have passed through. 

I shall be happy to hear from you at any time. 

Yours with respect, 

JEEEMIAH MANTOK. 

I will now continue my narrative, and return to the 9th of 



188 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 

April, 1814. After the Ida had made her escape, and the Rat- 
tlesnake and Commodore Decatur returned into port, these two 
vessels were watched and blockaded with more vigilance than 
ever. The English men-of-war anchored nearer the port, while 
a brig and a schooner were almost constantly within gunshot of 
the harbor. Tranquillity having been restored in Paris, all the 
wheels of government began to move in a more regular train ; 
the mails and diligences commenced running throughout the 
kingdom as formerly. 

In a few days I settled all my business, and left this place in 
the diligence for Bordeaux, on the 12th of April, passing through 
Rochefort and several other towns lying on the great public 
road ; and on the 14th, I once more had the pleasure to return 
in safety to Bordeaux. Here I found every thing tranquil, and 
although the city was in the hands of the English, there was no 
noise or confusion. The theatres were all open as usual, and 
well supported. In lieu of seeing French troops and sentinels 
about the town, there were English and Portuguese soldiers 
stationed at every military post. 

I found my business had been well managed by my good 
friends Messrs. Brim freres ; a portion of my freight had been 
collected, and every thing was in a successful train. The 
English had thus far respected private persons and private 
property. 

There were no American vessels here ; nearly all of them 
had left this country. There were a few however in the 
northern ports, namely, three blockaded at La Rochelle as 
before stated. The letter-of-marque schooner Kemp, Captain 
Jacobs, of Baltimore, was lying at Nantes, and the schooners 
Lion and Spencer at L'Orient. These were about all the 
American vessels left in the western ports of France. There 
were several American gentlemen, supercargoes, at Bordeaux 
and La Rochelle, w r aiting an opportunity to return home to 
the United States. Nearly all the American captains and 
supercargoes at this time in France were well known to each 
other, and upon very friendly terms. I found here, as in all 
parts of the world, that mutual interest and mutual sympathy 
draw men closely together.* We were all devising means to get 

* For note, see page 199. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 189 

home, some going to Amelia Island in neutral vessels, others 
taking passage in lefcters-of-marque, and some few in ships 
of war. 

A few days before I arrived at Bordeaux, on the 10th of 
April, there was a terrible battle fought between the French 
and English armies at Toulouse. The French army was 
commanded by Marshal Soult, and the English by Lord Wel- 
lington. This was a most sanguinary conflict. Although the 
English were victorious, they lost, in killed and wounded, 
about five thousand men, and the French about three thou- 
sand. I saw great numbers of English officers, who were 
brought down to Bordeaux, sadly maimed ; some with the 
loss of their limbs ; others cut and mutilated in a frightful 
manner. These sights and scenes were enough to sicken 
one with war and all its vain glory. 

The remnant of this victorious army, which had been so 
long campaigning in the Peninsula, under the command of 
Marshal Beresford and Lord Wellington, and gained so many 
victories over the French in Portugal and Spain, had now 
arrived at this place to recruit and repose for a brief space 
on their laurels. As a general peace with the nations of 
Europe was established, the services of these veterans were no 
longer required in this quarter of the world. The British Gov- 
ernment therefore decided that a large portion of this victorious 
army should be sent to New Orleans to humble the Ameri- 
cans. For this purpose, they here embarked on board of trans- 
ports and British ships of war, for the island of Jamaica, at 
which place they arrived safely ; were there reorganized, and 
again embarked on board of British ships of war and transports 
for New Orleans. The whole number of ships and vessels em- 
ployed on this expedition amounted to forty sail, of various 
sizes. The land forces were commanded by Sir Edward 
Packenham, one of Lord Wellington's favorite generals; this 
force amounted to six or seven thousand soldiers, besides a 
great number of seamen and marines. In the early part of 
December, 1814, they landed on and about the shores of the 
Mississippi, and finally encamped on its banks, about eight 
miles below New Orleans. These warriors, in all human 



190 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK DAVID POSTER. 

probability, never dreamed they should have much fighting to 
do, but that British discipline and British valor would over- 
come and vanquish all their adversaries at a blow ; but, unfortu- 
nately for them, they there met Americans, under the command 
of General Jackson. As all the world knows the result, and as 
it has become a matter of history, it is unnecessary for me to 
add another word on the subject. 

I had now so far arranged all my commercial affairs in Bor 
deaux, with my friends Messrs. Bran freres, that I thought 
seriously of returning to the United States by the first good 
opportunity. Thus, after staying in this city six days, I left it 
on the 21st of April, to return to La Rochelle in search of a 
passage home. I took the diligence, travelled on the great pub- 
lic road along the sea-coast, and arrived in two days at La Po- 
chelle. Here I found the Rattlesnake and Commodore Decatur 
still blockaded, and, as it appeared altogether uncertain when 
they would be able to get to sea, after remaining here about a 
fortnight, I concluded to proceed to Nantes. I accordingly left 
La Kochelle on the 10th, travelled on the grand route, and pass- 
ing through Morcilles, Napoleon, and several towns and vil- 
lages, arrived at Nantes on the 11th of May. The distance 
from La Rochelle to this place is one hundred miles. I stopped 
at the Hotel de France for a few days, and then took private 
lodgings with Captain Jacobs, of the letter-of-marque schooner 
JTemp, of Baltimore. This schooner was anchored at Paimbceuf, 
near the mouth of the river Loire, about thirty miles below 
Nantes. I made frequent excursions with Captain Jacobs down 
to Paimbceuf, and found the river very shallow, full of fiats and 
sand-bars, and difficult to ascend except for small vessels. 
There is, however, water enough at the port of Paimbceuf, and 
the anchorage is good and safe. The shores and meadows 
along the river in the summer season are beautiful. The 
grounds are highly cultivated, and the houses and cottages 
neat and pretty. 

Nantes is a fine old city, lying in lat. 47° 13' N., long. 1° 
33' "W\, about two hundred and ten miles in a direct line S. 
W. of Paris. By Orleans, Blois, Tours, and other towns on the 
Loire, the distance is about three hundred miles. It is gener- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK DAVID PORTER. 191 

ally well built, and has a great many public squares. The 
quays along the river are very fine, and shaded by rows of large 
elrn-trees, which render them delightful promenades. Nantes 
was formerly one of, if not the largest, commercial town in 
France, and is still a place of considerable importance in a com- 
mercial point of view. It numbers from one hundred and 
eighty to two hundred thousand inhabitants, and is, in my 
opinion, the most moral town of its size in the kingdom. Pro- 
visions are cheap, and, taking every thing into consideration, it 
is a very desirable residence. Strangers in pursuit of health 
and reasonable living will find themselves quiet and comforta- 
ble in this highly favored place. At the time I visited this 
town, there appeared to be about three women to one man. 
The male population having been taken away in great num- 
bers for the last twenty years, to fill up the armies of France, 
of course, left a very large proportion of females. 

I have before said I came on here for the purpose of ob- 
taining a passage to the United States ; but in this I was disap- 
pointed : there were no American vessels here but the Kemj)^ 
and she was preparing to return home as a cruising vessel, — 
that is to say, to pick up a cargo from the enemy on the ocean, 
if possible, and, perhaps, man and send into port a fast- sailing, 
rich prize or two, if fortunate enough to meet with such. This 
mode of cruising, though pleasant enough as captain, did not 
meet my vieAvs as a passenger or a volunteer. I therefore 
concluded to go to Bordeaux, and wait a more favorable oppor- 
tunity to return home. I found Captain J. a pleasant, gentle- 
manly man, and parted with him with sincere regret. After 
spending about a month of perfect leisure at Nantes, I left this 
agreeable place in the diligence for Bordeaux on the 13th of 
June. The distance between the two cities is two hundred and 
sixteen miles, and the fare, including the expenses on the way, 
was ninety-seven francs. We were two days on the road, and 
arrived on the 15th, without accident. I now had abundance of 
leisure, not only to look after my commercial affairs in Bor- 
deaux, but to partake of its various amusements, and enjoy its 
hospitable society. 

On the 9th of August I received the account-sales of my 



192 VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 

cottons, with a statement of what was due me, and also the 
balance due for freight, all of which was now settled to my en- 
tire satisfaction. I forthwith remitted to my owners in New- 
York, in sundry bills of exchange, $8,692, besides leaving a 
large balance in the hands of my worthy friends, Messrs. 
Brun freres. I am happy to say, I surmounted one difficulty af- 
ter another, until things began to wear a brighter aspect ; and, 
as I was unable to obtain a passage from any of the ports on 
the western coast, I decided to go up to Paris, spend a few 
weeks, and try to get a passage home from some of the north- 
ern ports of France. 

Before leaving this place, it would be ungrateful in me not 
to speak of the kind hospitality 1 received in this town ; even 
amidst war and confusion, the rites of hospitality are here never 
forgotten. The kind treatment fo strangers by the inhabitants 
of Bordeaux is proverbial, and needs no repetition from me. 
Still, I am happy to bear my feeble testimony, and time will 
never efface from my memory the happy days I have spent in 
this delightful city. 

On the 15th of August I left Bordeaux in the diligence for 
the capital. We passed through Angoulesme, Poitiers, Tours, 
along the pleasant banks of the Loire to Blois, Orleans, and 
from thence to Paris. The time occupied in performing this 
journey was five days, the distance one hundred and thirty post 
leagues, and the whole expense, including the fees to the con- 
ductor, postilion, servants, &c, &c, one hundred and ninety- 
six francs. I put up at the Hotel Strasbourg, in the Rue Notre 
Dame des Yictoires. We got into the vicinity of this magnifi- 
cent city just before the dawn of day. A young American 
friend was my travelling companion, and we were at daylight 
on the " qui vive " to catch the first glimpse of this vast me- 
tropolis, when, just as the sun was rising, we ascended a hill, 
and, behold ! the famed city of Paris was in full view. Among 
the many objects of admiration that caught the eye, the dome 
of the Hotel des Invalides was the most conspicuous ; it had 
been newly gilded, and when the sun shone upon this splendid 
object the effect was truly enchanting. I was young and en- 
thusiastic at that time, and shall never forget the impression 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 193 

made on my mind by this, my first view of this astonishing 
city. 

It was truly like transporting one to another world. I had 
read its history from my boyish days, and now, for the first 
time, beheld it in all its magnificence and sublimity. Since 
that time I have visited many parts of the globe, and even 
down to this date, 1858, have never met its equal. London 
certainly covers a greater space, and has almost double the 
number of inhabitants ; still there never was, nor ever will be, 
but one Paris. 

Immediately on my arrival here, I wrote the following let- 
ter to the several owners of the David Porter : 

"Paris, 20th August, 1814. 

" Messrs. Lawrence and Whitney, Strong and Miles, and James 
Lovett, Esq. 

Gentlemen : — I have this moment arrived from Bordeaux. 
I came here in hopes of obtaining a passage home in the ship 
John Adams, from Amsterdam, which ship, I am informed, is 
to sail in about a week from this day for America. I need not 
tell you my disappointment to learn from several American 
gentlemen here, that they, with several others in London, have 
applied to our Minister for a passage in said ship and have been 
refused, and that it is absolutely impossible to obtain one in 
the John Adams* on any terms. How or in what way I shall 
get home I am not able to say, but assure you I shall embrace 
the first opportunity. It was not until the 9th instant that I got 
my business settled with Brun freres. Enclosed I send you one 
set of bills of exchange, amounting together to $8,691, all of 
which, I trust, will be paid without any difficulty ; if they are 
not, the persons from whom I bought them are fully able to 
pay them, should they be returned. I enclose you also account- 
sales of our cotton. Independent of what I now remit you, I 
have left in the hands of Messrs. Brun freres about 40,000 
francs. What I now remit, with what I have left in the hands 
of Brun freres, all belong to the joint concern of the owners of 

* This was a cartel ship belonging to the United States Government. 

13 



194: VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK DAVID POKTEK. 

the David Porter, when the voyage is settled, except a small 
sum due to my officers. 

The amount of Messrs. Archibald Gracie & Sons' cotton, I 
have remitted to them in a bill of exchange on a gentleman in 
Baltimore. At present, the exchange between this country and 
England is 23-| francs per pound sterling, which is nearly at 
par, consequently unfavorable to remit to the United States by 
way of England. As I am unable to obtain any more good bills 
on the United States, I rather think I shall leave the remainder 
of the funds with Brim freres, where they will be safe, at the 
same time gaining four per cent, interest per annum. The en- 
closed bills I bought at from nine to ten per cent, below par. 

As you may suppose, I am very much fatigued after so long 
a journey ; but for fear my letter will not be in time to go by 
the John Adams, I am obliged to write this in haste, which I 
hope yon will receive as an apology for my not writing more 
particularly. I trust before long I shall be able to find a pas- 
sage home some way or other, when I shall have the pleasure 
to explain every thing to your satisfaction. 

As I am too late to write any of my friends by this oppor- 
tunity, please advise them of the substance of this letter, and 
oblige Your obedient servant, 

GEOKGE COGGESHALL." 

After having delivered several letters of introduction from 
my friends in Bordeaux, I occupied myself for some days attend- 
ing to commercial business, and among other things, purchased 
five thousand francs worth of French silks, shawls, silk stock- 
ings, etc. These articles were all carefully packed and dispatch- 
ed to Bordeaux, to be shipped by the first fast-sailing American 
schooner that should leave that place for the United States. 
When this was accomplished, I commenced visiting the various 
museums, libraries, public gardens, palaces, etc. It being a fine 
season of the year, I also made excursions to St. Cloud, Ver- 
sailles, St. Germain, St. Denis, and other places in the neighbor- 
hood of the metropolis. 

There are in this great city so many objects of curiosity, that 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 195 

a stranger may spend several months with pleasure and profit 
in visiting them. 

The day before I left Paris, I wrote the following letter : 

" Paris, September Sth, 1814. 
Messrs. Archibald Grade & Sons : 

Gentlemen : — I send you enclosed a bill of exchange for 
$991, on James Williams, Esq., of Baltimore. This is the net 
proceeds of your fifty-one bales of cotton. By the ship John 
Adams, I forwarded you one set of these bills and account-sales. 
I also sent one copy to L'Orient, to be forwarded. This I shall 
send to England, to go by the Cartel, which I am told is now 
fitting for the United States. 

I am extremely sorry, gentlemen, your shipment of cotton 
has turned out so much to your disadvantage. I, however, 
hope you will do me the justice to believe I have done the best 
I could in the business. I came on here for the purpose of get- 
ting a passage in the John Adams from Amsterdam, but was 
disappointed, as they are not allowed to take passengers. I am 
also informed that the Cartel, which is now fitting away from 
England, takes none but prisoners. I shall, therefore, leave here 
to-morrow morning for Bordeaux, and endeavor to get a pas- 
sage to Amelia Island, or the West Indies, and from thence 
home, when I hope I shall have the pleasure to explain every 
thing relating to your shipment to your satisfaction. 
I am gentlemen, with respect and regard, 

Your obedient servant, 

GEORGE COGGESHALL. 

P. S. I wrote by the schooner Commodore Decatur, brigs 
Rattlesnake, and Commodore Perry, which letters I fear you 
have never received, as it is here reported that all those vessels 
have been captured. 

Yours truly, 

G. C." 

At this period there was but a small number of American 
gentlemen in Paris, consequently they were generally known 
to each other. 



196 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. 

The Ambassador from the United States, residing here, was 
the Hon. ¥m. H. Crawford. He was highly respected and 
esteemed by the Americans, and seemed to take pleasure in 
acts of kindness and benevolence to his countrymen. From a 
turbulent state of war and confusion, Paris had lately become 
quiet and tranquil. Louis XVIIL, and other members of the 
royal family, used almost daily to show themselves from the 
balcony of the Tuileries, and I frequently saw the Duke and 
Duchess of Angouleme riding on horseback in various parts of 
the city. 

The theatres and all public places of amusement were open, 
and appeared to be well patronized and supported. There 
were vast numbers of strangers here from different parts of Eu- 
rope, and everybody seemed to be in pursuit of pleasure. 

After having spent twenty days amidst these gay scenes, I 
left Paris on the 9th of September in the diligence, and returned 
by the same route by which I came up, passing through Orleans, 
down along the banks of the Loire and so on to Bordeaux, where 
I arrived on the 13th, without accident. 

I had many kind friends in this city, and returned to it with 
pleasure, but found those from America were daily diminishing ; 
some returning home in neutral ships, by way of the West In- 
dies and Amelia Island ; others going to Holland to take pas- 
sage from that country. My friend Robert P. Stewart, Esq., 
of Philadelphia, after waiting several months for a passage to 
the United States, had left this place for L'Orient, in hopes of 
getting one from that city with Capt. Blakely in the Wasp. 
This ship, after having captured the British sloop-of-war Rein- 
deer, put into L'Orient for supplies, and here Mr. Stewart joined 
her. They sailed from that place on the 27th of August, 1814, 
bound on a cruise for several months, and at the expiration of 
the appointed time intended to return to the United States. 

A few days after leaving port she made several prizes, and 
on the evening of the 1st of Sept., engaged and captured the 
British sloop-of-war Avon, of eighteen guns. A few minutes 
after this ship had surrendered, the English brig-of-war Cas- 
tilian, of eighteen guns, fired a broadside into the Wasp, and 
then hauled off and escaped in the darkness of the night. There 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID PORTEB. 197 

is scarcely a doubt that the Wasp would have taken the Cas- 
tilian also, if they had been favored with daylight. While on 
board the Wasp, Mr. Stewart joined the marine corps as a vol- 
unteer, and assisted under the brave Blakely, to vanquish the 
enemies of his country. 

About the middle of September, the Wasp took and destroy- 
ed two British brigs ; and on the 21st of the same month, in 
lat. 33° 12' K, long. 14° 56' W., captured the British armed brig 
Atalanta. This being a valuable prize, Captain Blakely de- 
termined to send her into port. He put on board of her as 
prize-master, Midshipman Geisinger, and a prize-crew. In this 
brig, Mr. Stewart went as passenger. She arrived safely at Sa- 
vannah on the 14th of November. These two gentlemen and 
the prize-crew are all that escaped from the ever-to-be-lamented 
Wasp and her gallant crew. I take pleasure in stating these 
facts, that the patriotic conduct of my friend may be known to 
the world. As I have never seen his name mentioned in con- 
nection with the ill-fated Wasp (in any official account), I deem 
it but a matter of common justice to record my knowledge of 
these facts. There were very many patriotic individuals during 
our late war with England, who rendered essential service to 
their country and are entitled to its gratitude, whose acts, I am 
sorry to say, are almost entirely unknown ; for instance, my 
worthy friends Mantor, of the Ida, and Stewart, a volunteer on 
board the victorious Wasp. 

While in Bordeaux, I heard the gratifying news of the safe 
arrival of the schooner David Pointer, at Gloucester, Cape Ann, 
and also of the arrival of the brig Ida, at Boston. After I left 
the David Porter, at Pile Dieu, under the command of Mr. 
Nichols, he captured on his passage home several British prizes, 
from which vessels he loaded the schooner, and carried with 
him into port ten prisoners. Soon after his arrival at Cape Ann, 
he proceeded with the David Porter to Boston, at which place 
the vessel and cargo were consigned to the respectable house of 
Messrs. Munson & Barnard. These gentlemen sold both vessel 
and cargo at high prices. They also sold the brandy and wine, 
by the brig Ida, at a very good profit, and closed the whole 
concern to the entire satisfaction of all parties. I think the 



198 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POETEK. 

schooner sold for $10,000, and was soon fitted ont as a regular 
privateer, and I believe was afterwards very successful. 

Messrs. Munson & Barnard also received from the govern- 
ment of the United States, $1,000 as a bounty on the ten 
prisoners. 

The trunk of goods which I purchased in Paris for 5,000 
francs, or say $1,000, was shipped by my friends in Bordeaux, 
on board the Baltimore schooner Transit, Capt. Richardson. 
This vessel arrived in ISTew York on the 8th of March, 1815, and 
the goods sold at auction for $2,075. 

Bordeaux, October 1st, 1814. 

I had now finished the voyage of the David Porter, so far 
as it devolved upon me, and will here close the subject with a 
few remarks. 

When it is considered how many obstacles we met with, 
from the commencement on the 14th day of November, 1813, 
until its conclusion, I think it will be conceded that we tri- 
umphed over many difficulties, and ultimately made a good 
voyage ; and I am happy to add, to the entire satisfaction of all 
the owners of the fortunate little schooner. 

I will here insert the following letter to my brother Charles 
Coggeshall, second, lieutenant of the letter-of-marque David 
Porter, at Milford, Connecticut : 

"Bordeaux, October 2lst, 1814. 

Dear Chaeles : — I am now on the eve of leaving this place 
for L'Orient, to take command of the elegant American schooner 
Leo. I have been waiting several months to obtain a passage 
home to the United States, and have consented to take charge 
of this schooner, to proceed from France to Charleston or some 
other southern port. 

Your cotton netted nine hundred and three francs. The 
account-sales I have sent to Messrs. Lawrence & Whitney, and 
desired them to pay you the amount, together with the gain on 
the exchange, which is about ten per cent. 

You may, perhaps, ask why I did not invest the amount 
in French goods, that you might have gained a larger profit. I 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER DAVID POKTEE. 199 

answer, that I did not feel myself authorized to hazard your 
property without your consent, the risk of capture being in my 
opinion very great. 

I was very happy to hear of your safe arrival in the David 
Porter. Captain Nichols and yourself, in fact, all the officers 
and men deserve a great deal of praise, and I do assure you I 
shall never forget your faithful and very friendly conduct dur- 
ing the whole voyage. Yes, Charles, although I sometimes 
scold a little when we are together, I need not tell you how 
dear you are to me, and that your faithful and brave conduct 
has entirely won my heart. I hope you will study navigation, 
and improve your mind by reading while you remain at home, 
and thus qualify yourself to command a ship when the war is 
ended. Should the enemy dare to molest the part of the coun- 
try where you may be, I hope and trust you will be among the 
first to drive them into the sea. Our father fought them in 
1775, before he was as old as you are, and I hope he has not 
left a son who would not defend his country, if necessary, with 
his heart's blood. 

We hear nothing from America but degrading defeats and 
losses of every kind. Washington burnt, beaten here and there, 
and every thing appears to be going to the devil. If things go 
on no better, I shall be ashamed to acknowledge myself an 
American. 

I shall write to mother and sister by the same vessel that 
conveys this to you. 

Remember me affectionately to our brothers James and 
Francis, and believe me, my dear Charles, 

Tour sincere friend and brother, 

GEORGE COGGESHALL." 

( Note to page 188.) 

* For example, a gentleman who witnessed the great earthquake at Caraccas, in 
March, 1812, told me, that at that time he saw men embrace each other who had not 
spoken together for years, and that the whole community buried their private animosi- 
ties in face of the general danger. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

CRUISE IN THE LETTER-OF-MARQUE SCHOONER "LEO," FROM L'ORIENT 
TO CHARLESTON, AND HER CAPTURE, IN THE YEARS 1814 AND 1815. 

The Leo was a fine Baltimore built schooner of 320 tons, a re- 
markably fast sailer, and in every respect a superior vessel. 
She was lying in the harbor of L'Orient on the 1st of Novem- 
ber, 1814, and then owned by Thomas Lewis, Esq., an American 
gentleman residing in Bordeaux. On the 2d of November, 
she was purchased by an association of American gentlemen 
(then in France), placed under my command, and her com- 
mission, as a letter-of-marque, indorsed over to me under the 
sanction of the Hon. William H. Crawford, at that time our 
minister at Paris. It was determined that I should make a short 
' cruise for the jDurpose of capturing a few prizes from the enemy, 
then proceed to Charleston for a cargo of cotton, and return as 
soon as possible to France. 

As there were at the time quite a number of American sea- 
men in Bordeaux, Nantes and L'Orient, supported by the gov- 
ernment of the United States through the consuls at those ports, 
it was desirable to take home as many of them as the schooner 
could conveniently accommodate. 

I took with me' as first officer, Mr. Pierre G. Depeyster, and 
left Bordeaux by diligence, for L'Orient. On our way we 
stopped a day or two at Nantes, where I engaged, with the con- 
sent of our consul at that port, forty seamen and two petty officers. 

Mr. Azor O. Lewis, a fine young man, brother of the former 
owner of the Leo, was one of my prize-masters, and to him I 
committed the charge of bringing about forty more seamen from 
Bordeaux to L'Orient. The residue of the officers and men were 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 201 

picked up at L'Orient, with the exception of four or five petty 
officers, who came up from Bordeaux. 

Early in November we commenced fitting the schooner for 
sea. We found her hull in pretty good order, but her sails and 
rigging in a bad state. I, however, set every thing in motion, 
as actively as possible, and, put in requisition sailmakers, block- 
makers, blacksmiths, &c, employed the men taking in ballast, 
filling water-casks, &c, in fine, hurried on as fast as possible, 
before we should be stopped. 

The English had so much influence with the new government 
of Louis XVIIL, that I felt extremely anxious to get out on the 
broad ocean without delay, and therefore drove on my prepara- 
tions almost night and day. 

After ballasting, I took on board three tons of bread, thirty 
barrels of beef, fifteen of pork, and other stores to correspond, 
being enough for fifty days. 

I got ready for sea on the 6th of November. My crew, in- 
cluding the officers and marines, numbered about one hundred 
souls, and a better set of officers and men never left the port of 
L'Orient. But we were miserably armed; we had, when I 
first took the command of the schooner, one long brass twelve 
pounder and four small four pounders, with some fifty or sixty 
poor muskets. Those concerned in the vessel seemed to think 
we ought, with so many men, to capture prizes enough, even 
without guns. With this miserable armament I was now ready 
for sea, and only waiting for my papers from Paris. But, un- 
fortunately for me, the next day I was ordered by the public 
authorities to return to the inner port, and disarm the schooner. 
I immediately waited on the commanding officer, and told him 
it was a hard case, that I should not be allowed sufficient arms 
to defend the vessel against boats. He politely told me he was 
sorry, but that he must obey the orders of the government, and 
that I must take out all the guns except one. At the same time 
he laughingly observed, that one gun was enough to take a doz- 
en English ships before I got to Charleston. 

I of course kept the long twelve pounder, and in the night 
smuggled on board some twenty or thirty muskets. In this sit- 
uation I left the port of L'Orient, on the 8th of November, and 



202 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK LEO. 

stood out to sea in the hope of capturing a few prizes. After 
getting to sea we rubbed up the muskets, and, with this feeble 
armament, steered for the chops of the British Channel. I soon 
found that when the weather was good and the sea smooth, 
I could take merchantmen enough by boarding ; but in rough 
weather the travelling twelve pounder was but a poor reliance, 
and not to be depended upon like the long centre gun that I had 
on board the " David Porter" 

It is true my officers and men were always ready to board 
an enemy of three times our force ; but, in a high sea, if one 
of these delicately built Baltimore vessels should come in con- 
tact with a large, strong ship, the schooner would inevitably 
be crushed and sunk. For this reason, I was compelled to 
let one large English ship with twelve guns escape, while in 
the English Channel, because the weather was too rough to board 
her. 

On the 9th, boarded the French ship " Le Tartare" sixty- 
eight days from St. Domingo, bound to Nantes, also a Dutch 
galiot from Ostend, bound to La Kochelle : lat. by obs. 46° 17' 
K, long. 4° 2' W. 

Nov. 10th. — First part of this day moderate breezes, with 
cloudy weather and rain. During the remainder, strong gales 
from the jN". 1ST. W., with a high sea running. Lat. 46° 9' N. 

Nov. 11th. — The day commenced with moderate breezes 
from the N". E., and pleasant weather. At 6 o'clock, a. m., 
saw a sail bearing ~W. N. W., made all sail in chase ; at 8 spoke 
the chase ; she proved to be a galiot four days from Oberson, 
with a cargo of salt, bound for Ostend. Lat. by obs. 47° 5' 
K; long. 6° 18' W. 

Nov. 12th. — In the morning, light breezes and cloudy wea- 
ther. At 5 in the afternoon we spoke the galiot Tops her, from 
■ Bayonne, bound to Antwerp with a cargo of brandy. The day 
ended with strong gales at 1ST. 1ST. ~W., and a high sea running. 
Lat. 48° 49' N. ; long. 7° 40' W. 

Nov. 13th. — This day commenced with strong breezes and 
cloudy weather. Spoke a Danish galiot from Malaga bound to 
Amsterdam, also the French ship Stanislaus from Havre bound 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 203 

to Martinique. At six in the afternoon sounded in sixty-five 
fathoms of water, the Scilly Islands bearing 3ST. W., fifteen 
leagues distant. Light winds and variable through the night. 
At six a. m. saw a brig to windward. At seven ditto she set 
English colors ; gave her a gun, when she struck her flag. She 
proved to be an English brig from Leghorn, bound up the Chan- 
nel. It now commenced blowing a strong breeze from the 1ST. 
W., and soon there was a high sea running. Saw a large ship 
steering up Channel ; left the prize, and made sail in chase of 
her. At ten a. m. she set English colors, and fired a gun. Had 
it been smooth, I think we could have carried her by boarding 
in fifteen minutes, or had I met her at sea, I would have follow- 
ed her until the weather was better, and the sea smooth ; but 
being now in the English Channel, with a high sea, it would 
have destroyed my schooner if she had come in contact with 
this wall-sided ship. She showed six long nines on each side. 
After exchanging a few shots, I hauled off and returned to our 
prize. 

Nov. IMh. — These twenty-four hours commenced with fresh 
breezes and cloudy weather. At two p. m. it moderated, when 
I took out of the English prize brig the captain, mate and crew, 
and put on board of her a prize-master and seven men, with or- 
ders to proceed to a port in the United States. At four p. m. 
saw a sail to windward, when we made sail in chase. At eight 
ditto it became dark and squally, and we lost sight of her. At 
eight a. m. saw our prize ahead. We soon came up with her and 
supplied the prize-master with two casks of water and a quantity 
of bread, and left him to proceed on his course to the United 
States. 

Nov. 15th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with fresh 
gales from the westward, with a rough sea running. Middle 
and latter part of the day, the wind continued to blow strong 
from the westward with a high sea. As it was now the middle 
of November, with no prospect of much fine weather, and my 
schooner so badly armed, I concluded to leave this rough cruis- 
ing ground and run to the southward, in hopes of finding the 
climate more mild, where I could profit by a superior number of 
men in making prizes. Lat. 47° 28' 1ST. 



204: VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 

Nov. 16th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with fresh 
gales at S. W., with a high sea. At midnight, the wind sudden- 
ly shifted to the N. W., and blew a strong gale from that quar- 
ter ; double-reefed the lower sails and stood to the southward. At 
seven a. m. it moderated ; saw a sail to the eastward ; made sail 
in chase ; at nine ditto boarded her. She proved to be the Span- 
ish brig Diligent, Captain Joseph Antonio De Bard, from Bil- 
boa, bound to London. Put eight English prisoners on board 
of her, with a tolerable supply of provisions, when he proceeded 
on his course. At ten a. m. saw two sail to the westward, and 
made sail in chase. Lat. by obs. 47° 10' N. ; long. 8° 0' W. 

Nov. 17th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with brisk 
breezes from the N". 1ST. "W"., and cloudy weather. At three 
p. m. boarded the Spanish brig Alonzo. She was from Tene- 
riffe, bound to London. On board of this vessel I put the cap- 
tain, late master of our prize brig. At four ditto spoke a galiot 
under Hamburg colors, from Bilboa, bound to Bristol, England. 
Four sail in sight, light airs and fine weather. Made sail in 
chase of the nearest vessel at noon. She hove to and hoisted 
Spanish colors. When about to board this brig, we discovered 
an English man-of-war very near, in full chase of us. 

Nov. 18th. — Light winds and fine weather; the man-of-war 
brig still in chase, about two miles distant. At eight p. m. 
light breezes from the southward ; passed near a brig standing 
to the eastward ; had no time to board her as the man-of-war 
was still in chase. At midnight the wind became fresh from 
the "W. S. W., with dark, rainy weather. Took in all the light 
sails, and hauled close upon the wind to the "W. ~N. ~W. At 
seven a. m. saw a small sail on our weather bow. At ten ditto 
came up with and captured her ; found it was an English cut- 
ter, from Teneriffe, bound to London, with a cargo of wine. 

Nov. 19th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with strong 
gales from the northward, and a high sea running. At merid- 
ian took out of the prize twenty quarter casks of wine, together 
with her sails, cables, rigging, blocks, &c, and after removing 
the prisoners, scuttled her. At one p. m. she sank. Strong 
gales from the northward and rainy weather during the night. 
At seven a. m. saw a sail to windward ; tacked ship to get the 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 205 

weather-gage. At eleven ditto got her on our lee beam, when 
I made her out to be an English brig-of-war of sixteen guns. 
I commenced firing my long twelve. At noon, after receiving 
about thirty or forty shot from the enemy, without any material 
damage, I hauled off. Some of his shot passed over us, some 
fell short ; and only one hulled us : this shot passed through our 
bends amidships, and lodged in the hold. I could outsail him 
with the greatest ease, and if I had had a long, well-mounted 
centre gun, could have annoyed him without receiving any in- 
jury, by keeping just out of reach of his carronades. These 
twenty-four hours ended with fresh gales from the N. "W., with 
a high sea running. Lat. 47° 56' K ; long. 11° 9' "W. 

Nov. 20th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with fresh 
gales and variable, squally weather. Two sail in sight ; made 
sail in chase. At half-past four p. m. spoke one of them, a 
Hamburg bark from St. Thomas, bound home. At seven ditto 
boarded a Dutch brig, from Faro, bound to Rotterdam, with a 
cargo of fruit, and, of course, permitted him to proceed on his 
course. During the night, we had a continuation of strong 
gales, and bad weather, with much sea. At eleven a. m. saw a 
sail to the westward ; at meridian came up with and boarded 
the Dutch brig JZbpe, from Naples, bound to Amsterdam, with 
a cargo of wine. Lat. by obs. 46° 36' N. ; long. 12° 22' W. 

Nov. 21st. — These twenty-four hours commenced w T ith fresh 
winds from the N. N. E., and squally weather. At meridian 
saw a sail bearing W. S. W., made sail in chase. At four p. m., 
she being directly to leeward, I ran down to discover her char- 
acter; I soon made her out to be a frigate. When within 
three miles' distance, I hoisted an English ensign. The frigate 
showed Portuguese colors, and resorted to every stratagem in 
his power to decoy us down within the range of his shot. Find- 
ing I could outsail him with ease, I hauled down the English 
colors, set an American ensign, hauled close upon the wind, and 
soon lost sight of him. During the night we had fresh gales at 
E. N. E., and squally weather. At seven a. m. saw a small 
sail bearing S. S. W. ; made sail in chase. I soon came up with 
and boarded an English schooner from Malaga, bound to Dub- 
lin, with a cargo of fruit. Took out the prisoners and a supply 



206 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 

of fruit, then manned her and gave orders to the prize-master 
to make the best of his way to the United States. Latitude by 
account 45° 33' N". ; long. 12° 0' W. 

Nov. 22d. — These twenty-four hoitrs commenced with light 
airs and fine, pleasant weather. At three p. m. came up with and 
boarded a Danish galiot ; at twelve o'clock, midnight, put ten 
English prisoners on board of her. I supplied them with pro- 
visions and a quarter cask of wine, and the galiot proceeded on 
her voyage. She was from Marseilles, bound to Hamburg, 
with a cargo of wine and oil. At eight a. m. saw a sail bear- 
ing N. N. E. ; gave chase, and at eleven boarded her. She 
proved to be a Swedish barque from St. Ubes, bound to Stock- 
holm. The day ended with dark, rainy weather, with consid- 
erable sea. Lat. by account 45° 53' K ; long. 13° 0' "W. 

Nov. 2Zd. — These twenty-four hours commenced with fresh 
gales from the southward, with dark, rainy weather. At one 
p. m. wore ship to the S. E. in chase of a brig ; at three came up 
with and spoke her. She proved to be a Prussian, from Oporto, 
bound to Hamburg, with a cargo of wine and fruit. Middle 
part of the twenty -four hours, strong gales from the 1ST. N. W. 
At noon discovered two frigates to leeward. They both made 
sail in chase of me. I plied to windward, tacking every hour, 
and beat them without much trouble ; but, as there were two 
of them, was not quite at ease until I had got out of their neigh- 
borhood. These twenty-four hours ended with strong breezes 
from the 1ST. "W., with showers of rain. Lat. by obs. 45° 8' 1ST. ; 
long. 13° 6' W. 

Nov. 24dh. — These twenty-four hours commenced with fresh 
gales from the N. W., with showers of rain and a high head-sea 
running ; the two frigates still in chase of us. At five p. m. the 
weathermost frigate was about ten or twelve miles distant to 
leeward ; finding I could beat them with so much ease, I reefed 
the sails and plied to windward. Towards morning the wind 
moderated, and at daylight there was nothing in sight. Lat. by 
obs. 44° 34' K ; long. 15° 8' W. 

Nov. 25th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with mod- 
erate breezes from the westward, and fine weather. At 3 p. m. 
discovered a sail bearing about S. E. ; made sail and bore away 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 207 

in chase. At half-past three, made her out to be a frigate, when 
I hauled upon the wind. At four ditto she fired a gun, and 
showed American colors. I set an American ensign for a few 
minutes, then hauled it down and hoisted a large English ensign. 
She fired three or four shot, but finding they fell short, stopped 
firing and crowded all sail in chase of me. Night coming on I 
soon lost sight of her. During the night we had fresh breezes 
and cloudy weather. At daylight there was nothing in sight ; 
took in sail ; during the remainder of these twenty-four hours we 
had fresh gales from the westward, with dark, thick weather. 
Lat. by obs. 43° 2' K 

Nov. 26th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with strong 
gales from the W. N. W., and thick, squally weather. At 1 p. 
m. discovered a sail to the windward, bearing ]S\ W., made sail 
in chase, tacking every hour. At five ditto, made him out to be 
a ship standing upon the wind to the 1ST. E. At half-past nine 
o'clock, after getting on his weather quarter, ran up alongside, 
hailed and ordered him to heave to, which order he imme- 
diately obeyed. I sent my boat on board, and found him to be 
an English ship, burden about 200 tons, from Palermo, bound 
to London, with a cargo of brimstone, rags, mats, &c. He 
mounted six guns, with a crew of about twenty men. We kept 
company through the night. The latter part of these twenty- 
four hours, light winds and fine weather. Lat. by obs. 42° 31' 
K ; long. 15° 46' W. 

Nov. 27th. — Commenced with light breezes from the N. W., 
and fine, pleasant weather. In the forenoon of this day removed 
the prisoners from the ship, and put on board a prize-master and 
a crew of ten men. I also took out the guns, powder, shot and 
some fruit and then ordered her to proceed to the United States. 
At 2 p. m. made sail, steered to the S. W., and at five ditto lost 
sight of the prize. These twenty-four hours ended with light 
winds from the W. N. W., and cloudy weather. Lat. by obs. 
41°3 / K; long. 15° 46' W. 

Nov. 28th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with a 
continuation of the same wind and weather, nothing in sight. 
During the night we had light winds with a little rain. 

At 8 a. m. boarded a Dutch galiot, four days from Lisbon, 



208 YOTAGE JN THE SCHOONEK LEO. 

bound to Rotterdam with a cargo of salt. Put the captain of 
the prize ship, his mate, and three of his crew, on board this 
galiot and left her to proceed on her voyage. 

At noon brought to and boarded the Swedish brig Johanna, 
fourteen days from Dublin, in ballast, bound to Alicant. 

The weather being fine, we painted the schooner. Lat. by 
obs. 39° 56' K ; long. 15° 16' ~W. 

JYov. 29th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with light 
winds from the 1ST. E. and fine weather : at midnight hove to. 

At half-past six a. m., daylight, saw a small sail bearing S. 
E. ; at seven spoke her ; she was a small schooner, one day 
from Lisbon, bound to Oporto. At this time made the Burling 
Rocks, bearing S. S. E. five leagues distant ; several small sail 
in sight. At meridian the Rock of Lisbon bore S. by E. seven 
leagues. Fresh breezes from the K. E. and fine weather. Lat. 
by obs. 39° V K 

Nov. 30th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with light 
winds from the northward, with light squalls of rain. At six p. 
m. wore ship, stood off shore, and at midnight hove to. 

At seven a. m. saw a sail to the eastward. Made sail and 
soon spoke the chase, which proved to be the French brig Two 
Brothers, one day from Lisbon, bound to Morlaix. At meridian 
the Rock of Lisbon bore east twelve leagues distant. Moderate 
breezes and cloudy weather. Lat. by obs. 38° 33' N. 

Dec. 1st. — These twenty-four hours commenced with fresh 
breezes at IT. N. W., with open, cloudy weather. 

At one p. m. saw a ship on our weather quarter, coming up 
with us very fast. I made sail, steering to the westward, to get 
to windward of the ship, in order to ascertain her character. It 
was then blowing a strong breeze from the ~N. ~N. W., the 
weather was somewhat squally with a head sea running. About 
half -past two p. m. the schooner gave a sudden pitch, when, to 
the astonishment of every person on board, the foremast broke, 
about one-third below its head, and in a moment after it broke 
again, close to the deck. While in this situation, I had the 
mortification to see the ship pass us within pistol shot, without 
being able to pursue her. She was an English packet, just out 
of Lisbon, and bound for England ; and, I doubt not, if this un- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 209 

fortunate accident had not occurred, we should have captured 
her in less than one hour from the time she was first seen. At 
this time the packets transported large quantities of specie to 
England, and this ship would, in all probability, have proved a 
rich prize to us. I have no doubt the mast was defective, and 
should have been renewed before leaving port. From this un- 
toward circumstance, resulted all the misfortunes attending the 
cruise. 

I cannot express the disappointment and mortification I now 
felt, not so much on my own account, as for the loss incurred 
by the gentlemen who planned and fitted out the expedition. 
The Rock of Lisbon bore E. S. E., eighty miles distant, and my 
only hope was to get into Lisbon or St. Ubes before daylight 
the next morning, and thus escape capture. I accordingly 
cleared away the wreck, rigged a jury foremast, and bore away. 
At four p. m., an hour after the accident occurred, Ave were 
going at the rate of seven knots an hour, and had the breeze 
continued through the night, should have got into port by day- 
light next morning. But, unfortunately, the wind became light 
during the night, and we made but little progress. At 5 a. m., 
daylight, made Cape Espartel and the Eock of Lisbon, when it 
became almost calm. "We then commenced sweeping and tow- 
ing, with boats ahead, until one p. m., when a light air sprung 
up from the westward, and I had strong hopes of being able to 
get in, or run the vessel on shore and destroy her, and thus 
escape capture. 

At one p. m., being about four miles from the land I received 
a Lisbon pilot on board. The ebb-tide now commenced run- 
ning out of the Tagus, and I had the mortification to see a 
British frigate coming out with the first of it, with a light 
breeze from off the land. At two p. m. I was under her guns. 
She proved to be the Granicus, a thirty-eight gun frigate, Cap- 
tain "W. F. Wise. "We were all removed to the frigate, and the 
schooner taken in tow for Gibraltar. 

Two days after our capture, on the 3d of December, we ar- 
rived at that place. Nearly all my officers and men were dis- 
tributed and sent to England in different ships ; the first and 
14 



210 VOYAGE JN THE SCHOONER LEO. 

second lieutenants, with myself, were retained on board the 
Gr aniens to undergo an examination at the admiralty court. 

The next day after our arrival, the frigate left port for Tetuan 
Bay, Morocco, opposite Gibraltar, to obtain water and to be 
painted. "We were taken on this little voyage, and had I not 
been a prisoner, should have enjoyed very much the novelty of 
the excursion, which occupied three or four days. Captain 
"Wise was a fine, gentlemanly man, and always treated me and 
my officers with respect and kindness. We messed in the 
ward-room, I had a state-room to myself, and was as comfortable 
and happy as I could be under the circumstances. 

I used to dine with Capt. "W. almost daily ; he frequently 
said to me, " Don't feel depressed by captivity, but strive to 
forget that you are a prisoner, and imagine that you are only a 
passenger." He also invited my first lieutenant, Mr. Depeyster, 
occasionally to dine with him, and said he would endeavor to 
get us paroled, and thus prevent our being sent to England. 
We stated to him, that we had voluntarily released more than 
thirty British prisoners notwithstanding the. American govern- 
ment gave a bounty (to letters-of-marque and privateers) of one 
hundred dollars per head for British prisoners brought into the 
United States. These facts, Captain Wise represented to the 
governor, and also added that the five English prisoners, found 
on board the Leo, said they had been very kindly treated, and 
that he hoped his excellency would release me and my two 
lieutenants upon our parole, and let us return direct to the 
United States. The governor refused to comply with the kind 
request of Capt. Wise, and said he had positive orders from the 
British government to send every American prisoner, brought 
to that port, to England. When Capt. Wise informed us that 
he was unable to obtain our liberty on parole, he gave me a 
letter of introduction to a friend in England, requesting him to 
use his best interest to get myself and my first and second lieu- 
tenants released on parole, and thus enable us to return forth- 
with to the United States. Mr. Daly, an Irish gentleman, 
second lieutenant of the Granieus, who was connected with 
several persons of distinction in England, also gave me a letter 
to a noble lady of great influence at court. I regret I do not 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 211 

recollect her name, but I well remember the emphatic expres- 
sion of the kind-hearted and generous Daly when he handed me 
the letter. " Cause this letter to be presented," said he, " and 
rely upon it, this lady will never allow you nor your two friends 
to be sent to prison in England." 

Mr. Depeyster was a high-spirited man, and when he learned 
that we could not obtain our liberty on parole, became extremely 
vexed and excited, and told the ward-room officers that if it 
should ever please God to place him in command of a letter-of- 
marque or privateer, during the war, he would never again 
release an English prisoner, but would have a place built in the 
vessel to confine them until he should arrive in the United 
States ; that the bounty of one hundred dollars given by the 
United States government rendered it an object to carry them 
into port, but from motives of humanity we had released many 
of their countrymen ; and now they refused to parole three un- 
fortunate men who were in their power. I said but little on the 
Subject, but from that moment resolved to make my escape 
upon the first opportunity. 

The next day after this conversation (December 8th), Capt. 
Wise said, " Capt. Coggeshall, it is necessary that you and 
your officers should go on shore to the admiralty office, there to 
be examined with respect to the condemnation of your schooner, 
your late cruise, etc., and if you will pledge me your word and 
honor that you and your officers will not attempt to make your 
escape, I will permit you and the other two gentlemen to go on 
shore without a guard. I told him at once that I would give 
the pledge not to attempt in any way to make my escape, and 
would also be answerable for Mr. Depeyster and Mr. Allen. 
This ready compliance on my part resulted from a desire to gain 
an opportunity to reconnoitre the garrison, or in seamen's 
phrase, " to see how the land lay," in order to profit by the first 
chance to make my escape when not on parole. * 

We accordingly went on shore without a guard, and were 
conducted to the admiralty office. I was first examined, and 
was asked a great many questions, the greater part of which 
were from a printed copy ; the answers were written down 
opposite the questions. It seemed to me to be more a matter 



212 VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER LEO. 

of form than for any special purpose. By the by, many of 
the inquiries appeared to me very unmeaning and unimportant. 
When they had finished with me, they commenced with Mr. 
Depeyster ; and, after asking him a few questions, the court 
of inquiry was adjourned until the next morning at ten o'clock ; 
and, notifying us to be there precisely at the time appointed, 
we were dismissed. We then took a stroll about the town 
for an hour or two, returned on board, and reported ourselves 
to Captain Wise. 

Thus far, not a shadow of suspicion had been visible on 
the countenances of Captain Wise or his ofiicers that we would 
attempt to make our escape. In the evening I consulted with 
Messrs. Depeyster and Allen on the subject of giving them the 
dodge upon the very first opportunity. I told them that if the 
captain required my parole the next morning I would not give 
it ; neither would I advise them to pledge their word that they 
would not make their escape. I told them, furthermore, that I 
was resolved to slip away the first moment I saw a favorable 
opportunity, and would advise them to do the same, and not, 
from any motives of delicacy, wait a moment for me. 

The next morning, when dressing, I put all the money I had, 
say about one hundred twenty-franc gold pieces, in a belt that 
was around my person, and some fifteen or twenty Spanish 
dollars in my pocket, with some little relics and trifling keep- 
sakes. Thus prepared, I went to breakfast in the ward-room. 

About nine o'clock, Captain Wise sent for me, when the 
following dialogue ensued : " Well, Coggeshall, I understand you 
and your ofiicers are required at the admiralty ofiice at ten 
o'clock, and if you will again pledge your honor, as you did 
yesterday, that none of you will attempt to make your escape, 
you may go on shore without a guard ; otherwise I shall be 
obliged to send one with you." I watched his countenance closely 
for a moment, to ascertain his real meaning, and whether he was 
determined to adhere strictly to the words he had just uttered, 
and then replied : " Captain Wise, I am surprised that you 
should think it possible for any one to make his escape from 
Gibraltar. " He instantly saw I was sounding him, when he 
pleasantly but firmly said, " Come, come, it won't do ; you 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 213 

must either pledge your word and honor that neither you nor 
your officers will attempt to make your escape, or I shall be 
compelled to send a guard with you. " I felt a little touched, 
and promptly replied, "You had better send a guard, sir." 
Accordingly he ordered the third lieutenant to take a sergeant 
and four marines with him, and conduct us to the admiralty 
office. 

At the hour appointed they recommenced the examination 
where they had left off the day before with Mr. Depeyster. I 
was sitting in the court-room, and Mr. Allen standing at the door, 
when he beckoned to me ; I instantly went to the door, and found 
the lieutenant had left his post and was not in sight. I then asked 
the sergeant whether he would go with us a short distance up 
the street to take a glass of wine. He readily complied with 
my request, leaving the marines at the door to watch Mr. 
Depeyster, and walked respectfully at a few paces behind us, 
up the street. I had been once before at Gibraltar, and 
understood the town perfectly well. "We soon came to a wine 
shop on a corner, with a door opening on each street. While 
the soldier was standing at the door, Mr. A. and myself entered, 
and called for wine ; I drank a glass in haste, but, unfortunately, 
had no small change, and this circumstance alone prevented 
my worthy friend from going with me. I hastily told him I 
would cross the little square in front, turn the first corner, and 
there wait for him to join me. I then slipped out of the shop, 
passed quickly over the little park, and turned the corner 
agreed upon, without being seen by the sergeant, while he was 
watching at the opposite door. I waited some minutes on the 
corner for Mr. Allen, and was sadly disappointed that he did 
not make his appearance. I had now fairly committed myself, 
and found I had not a moment to spare. I therefore walked 
with a quick step towards the Land Port Gate, not that leading 
to the Peninsula, but the gate situated at the N. W. extremity 
of the town. 

My dress was a blue coat, black stock and black cockade, 
with an eagle in the centre. The eagle I took care to remove, 
and then it was tout-d-fait an English cockade, and I had on the 
whole very much the appearance of an English naval officer. 



214 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 

I said to myself, when approaching the guard at the gate, " Now 
is the critical moment, and the most perfect composure and con- 
summate impudence are necessary to a successful result." I 
gave a stern look at the sentinel, when he returned me a re- 
spectful salute, and I was in another moment without the walls 
of Gibraltar. 

I walked deliberately down the mole, or quay, where I was 
accosted by a great number of watermen offering to convey me 
on board my vessel. I employed one, and after getting off in 
the bay, he' said : " Captain, which is your vessel ? " Here 
again I was at a loss to decide on an answer ; but, after gazing 
for a few moments on the different ships and the flags of differ- 
ent nations, my eye caught sight of a galiot with a Norwegian 
ensign flying, and I said to myself, "The Norwegians are a vir- 
tuous, honest people, and I am not afraid to trust them." I had 
been in their country, and understood the character of these 
hardy, honest-hearted sons of the North. After a moment's 
hesitation, I replied to the boatman : " That is my vessel," 
pointing to the friendly galiot, and we were soon alongside. I 
jumped on board, and inquired for the captain, who soon made 
his appearance. I told him I had something to communicate to 
him. He told me to follow him into the cabin. I immediately 
asked whether he was willing. to befriend a man in distress. 
He said : " Tell me your story, and I will try to serve you." I 
frankly told him I was the captain of the American letter-of- 
marque schooner lately sent into port by the frigate Granious, 
and that I had made my escape from the garrison, and desired 
to get over to Algeciras as soon as possible ; that I had money 
enough, but still I wanted his friendship, confidence and pro- 
tection. The good old gentleman scarcely waited to hear my 
story to the end before he grasped me by the hand, and said, in 
a kind and feeling manner, " I will be your friend, and will 
protect you ; I was once a prisoner in England, and know what 
it is to be a prisoner ; rest assured, my dear sir, I will do all I 
can to assist you." I offered him a dollar to pay and discharge 
the boatman, and remained myself below in the cabin. He 
said : " Put up your money ; I have small change, and will pay 
him what is just and right." After dispatching the boatman, he 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 215 

returned below, and said : " Now take off your coat, and put 
on this large pea-jacket and fur cap." In this costume, and 
with a large pipe in my mouth, I was, in less than two minutes, 
transformed into a regular Norwegian. Returning again on 
deck, I asked my good friend the captain whether I could rely 
on his mate and sailors not to betray me ; he said : " They are 
honest and perfectly trustworthy ; you need be under no appre- 
hension on their account." We took a social dinner together, 
when he observed : " I will now go on shore for an hour or two, 
and hear all I can about your escape, and will come back, early 
in the evening, and relate to you all I learn." 

In the evening the old captain returned, pleased and de- 
lighted. He said he never saw such a hubbub as there was 
about town ; that the whole garrison seemed to be on the look- 
out : that the Town Major, with the military and civil police, 
were searching every hole and corner in Gibraltar for the cap- 
tain of the American privateer ; that both of my officers were 
put in confinement, and that the lieutenant of the frigate who 
had charge of us had been arrested ; in short, there was " the 
devil to pay," because the captain of the privateer could not be 
found. 

The next morning I stated to my worthy friend how ex- 
tremely anxious I was to go over to Algeciras, and how morti- 
fied I should feel to be taken again on board the Granicus. He 
answered : " Leave that to me ; I am well acquainted with a 
gang of smugglers who belong to Algeciras, and often sell them 
gin, tobacco and other articles of trade ; they will be here on 
board my galiot at nine o'clock this evening, and will probably 
start for Algeciras about midnight, after they have made all 
their purchases ; when they come, I will arrange with them to 
take you as a passenger." 

About nine o'clock that evening, a long, fast-rowing boat 
came silently alongside, filled with men ; and certainly a more 
desperate, villanous-looking set was never seen. Their leader 
and several of his men came on board the galiot, and after hav- 
ing purchased sundry articles and taken a glass of gin all round, 
the old captain inquired of the patroon of the boat what hour 
he intended to start for Algeciras, and said, that the reason of 



216 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 

his asking the question was, that his brother wanted to go to 
that place for a few days upon business, and he wished to en- 
gage a passage for him, and that he should be glad if his brother 
could lodge for a few days with his family. He answered that 
he should return again about midnight, and would willingly 
take the captain's brother, and that if he could put up with his 
rough fare, he was welcome to stay at his house as long as he 
pleased. I accordingly got ready my little bundle, which con- 
sisted of a few small articles, such as a shirt or two (for I did 
not forget to wear three at the time I left the Granicus), and 
stowed it away in my hat. I agreed with my friend the Nor- 
wegian, to leave the cap and pea-jacket with the American Con- 
sul at Algeciras, to be returned to him by some safe convey- 
ance in the course of a few days. Agreeable to promise, the 
boat came on board precisely at twelve o'clock, and after my 
friend the captain had again cautioned the patroon of the boat 
to take good care of his brother, we started. 

The water in the bay was smooth, though the night was dark 
and favorable to the safe prosecution of the passage. The dis- 
tance is about eight or ten miles from Gibraltar. After rowing 
two hours, we arrived near the harbor, when we showed a light 
in a lantern for a minute or two, and then covered it with a 
jacket. This signal was repeated two or three times, until an- 
swered in the same way from the shore. We approached the 
port cautiously, and landed in silence. The patroon took me 
by the arm, and led me through many a dark, winding passage. 
On our way we passed by several sentinels, and were frequently 
hailed with the shrill sound of " Quien Yiva?" To these salu- 
tations some friendly answer was returned, and thus every thing 
passed smoothly on, until at length we arrived at the humble 
dwelling of the smuggler. 

In Spain, the contrabandists are a desperate class of men, 
and often spread dread and fear through a wide region of coun- 
try. In many instances, they are so numerous and strong that 
they often put the whole power of the government at defiance. 
The gang that brought me to Algeciras were about twenty in 
number, all armed to the teeth with long knives, pistols, swords, 
&c. They had no doubt made their arrangements during the 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 217 

day with the officers and sentinels who were # to mount guard 
that night. Of course they made them a compensation in some 
way or other, in order that they should meet with nothing to 
interfere with or obstruct their nocturnal enterprises. 

Early in life I had made several voyages to Spain and its 
colonies in America, and had acquired a pretty good knowledge 
of the Spanish character. I had also picked up enough of the 
language to enable me to make my way among them without 
difficulty. 

There is something about the Spaniard that immediately 
inspires confidence ; so much so, that, although surrounded by 
this desperate gang of smugglers, I had not the smallest fear for 
my safety. It was now near three o'clock in the morning, when 
we entered the small, low cabin of the patroon. The interior 
consisted of one room of moderate size, with a mat hung up to 
serve as a partition to separate the different members of the 
family, which consisted of the patroon Antonio, his wife and 
two children. The eldest, a girl, was about eight or nine years 
of age, and the boy, a fine little fellow about six. Antonio was 
thirty-five or forty years old, and his wife, a good-looking 
woman, some twenty-eight or thirty. 

"With this family I was soon placed upon the most friendly 
and intimate footing. A straw bed was prepared for me behind 
the mat screen. Before saying good night, Antonio told me he 
should leave the house very early in the morning to look after 
his boat and smuggled goods, and should not return until noon 
the next day. He said his wife and little daughter would pro- 
vide breakfast for me, and would purchase whatever I wished 
at any time. After these preliminaries were settled, we all 
said " Buenas noches," and dropped asleep. 

About seven o'clock the next morning I furnished the 
smuggler's wife with money to purchase bread, butter, eggs and 
coffee ; and when breakfast was prepared, the mother, the two 
children and myself, ate our social meal together. I then took 
a stroll about the town of Algeciras in my Norwegian costume, 
and silently observed what was going on, without conversing 
with any person ; when I entered a coffee house I generally 
took a newspaper, and as I said nothing, no one appeared to 



218 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 

notice me. I had broken the quarantine laws, and therefore 
deemed it prudent to keep on my disguise for a few days, and 
continue to live in perfect seclusion. The next night Antonio 
was to leave this place for Gibraltar, and by him I sent the fol- 
lowing letter to my friend the good Norwegian. 

• 

"Algeciras, Bee. IZth, 1814. 
Captain of the Galiot : 

My Dear Good Friend : I am happy to inform you that 1 
landed here last night, or rather at two o'clock in the morning, 
and have taken up my abode in the family of our friend, the 
patroon Antonio, and now consider myself in perfect safety ; all 
which I owe to your kind and generous conduct. While I live, 
my heart will ever beat with gratitude to you, my excellent 
friend, and if it should never be in my power to reward your 
disinterested kindness, I sincerely pray that God will reward 
and bless you and yours to the third and fourth generations. 
Although 1 live in an obscure cabin, and am here a stranger in 
a strange land, still I am more happy than I could possibly be 
in a palace, deprived of my liberty. 

I shall remain here a few days in disguise, and shall be hap- 
py to receive a letter from you per Antonio. I am extremely 
anxious to hear what has become of my officers, and whether 
they have been sent prisoners to England. You said it was 
possible you might come over to Algeciras. I hope you will 
conclude to do so, and then I shall have the happiness to enjoy 
your society while you remain in this place. 

Adieu, my dear Sir, and believe me always with esteem, 
Your grateful friend, 

GEOKGE COGGESHALL." 

Antonio was absent almost all the time during the three 
days I remained in his family. I furnished money, and the 
good Maria purchased and prepared our frugal meals. When I 
returned from a stroll about the town, I always took care to 
provide cakes and bonbons for the children ; so we soon became 
very good friends, and all lived very happily together, and 
upon terms of the most perfect equality. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 219 

After remaining here for a period of three days, I began to 
tire of this mode of life, and was determined to ascertain how I 
could get to Cadiz, where I knew I should find friends, and be 
farther removed from the mortifying scenes through which I 
had so lately passed. Accordingly, on the morning of the 
fourth day of my landing at Algeciras, I repaired to a cafe, and 
inquired of one of the servants whether there was an American 
Consul residing in the city. The boy seemed intelligent, and 
instantly replied that Don Horatio Sprague, the former Consul 
at Gibraltar, was residing here, and that he was " un hombre 
de bien." I asked for his address, when he called a boy to 
show me the house ; so that in fifteen minutes after, I was 
knocking at Mr. Sprague's door, and was soon admitted into his 
hospitable mansion. 

He was of course surprised to see a man of my appearance 
walk boldly into his parlor. I soon, however, explained that I 
was not exactly what I appeared to be ; that I was an Ameri- 
can in distress, and throwing off my great fur cap and pea- 
jacket, looked somewhat more like an American. I told my 
story, and was received and treated like a brother. He was 
just going to take breakfast, and said, " You will breakfast with 
us, and then I will send my nephew Mr. Leach with you for 
your bundle, and you will then return and take up your abode 
with me during your stay at Algeciras." 

After a social breakfast, having doffed my cap and pea- 
jacket, and being supplied with a hat and other articles of dress 
to correspond, Mr. Leach kindly accompanied me to the humble 
dwelling of Maria. To my great surprise, on entering the cabin, 
the poor woman was very distant, curtseying with profound 
respect, and appeared altogether like another person. The 
children were shy, and appeared to avoid me : at first I felt hurt 
at the alteration, but a moment's reflection convinced me that 
it was quite natural, and I loved them not the less for their 
distant behavior : while in my disguise, they looked upon me 
as one of the family ; but now the circumstances were changed, 
they regarded me in quite another light; and I felt for a 
moment that the artificial rules of society were chilling to a 



220 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK LEO. 

generous heart. Maria told Mr. Leach that she always thought 
I was a gentleman, and that she was quite happy to serve me. 

After making the family suitable presents, I took my leave, 
promising that they should frequently see me while I remained 
in Algeciras, which promise I took, care rigidly to fulfil. 

I was now quite at home with one of the best of men, whose 
greatest pleasure has ever been to make others happy. His ex- 
cellent nephew, William Leach, Esq., was also a fine young 
gentleman, and as we were all Americans together, the most 
perfect confidence reigned throughout this delightful family. 
During my stay here, I was amused with a little incident that 
occurred while at dinner at Mr. Sprague's table. A young 
English friend came over on Sunday to dine with Mr. S. 
During dinner Mr. Sprague asked him what was said in Gib- 
raltar about the captain of the American letter-of-marque hav- 
ing made his escape from the garrison. He said that it caused 
a great deal of excitement and speculation : some said the lieu- 
tenant that had charge of him was very culpable, and even 
insinuated that there must have been bribery connected with 
the business ; that it was altogether a very strange affair, that a 
man should be able in open daylight to make his escape from 
Gibraltar. After answering many other questions on the sub- 
ject, he wound up by saying that the captain must be a clever 
man, and for his part he wished him God speed. 

The young man had no suspicion that I was an American or 
had any connection with the business. During the conversa- 
tion, whenever I caught the eye of Mr. Leach, it was with the 
greatest difficulty I could command my countenance. Every 
thing, however, passed off very well, and we often joked on the 
subject of the honest simplicity of their young English friend. 

I remained from day to day at Algeciras, anxiously waiting 
to hear from my two lieutenants, Messrs. Depeyster and Allen ; 
in hopes they would by some means be able to make their 
escape, and not be sent prisoners to England. During the day- 
time, I used frequently to ride into the country with Mr. 
Sprague. In the evening we often made up an agreeable whist 
party, and, among other social enjoyments, my young friend 
Leach introduced me to two or three respectable and very 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 221 

agreeable Spanish families. In these families, I- spent many- 
pleasant evenings, and had my officers and crew been at liberty, 
should have been quite contented and happy. 

At length, after waiting at Algeciras about ten days, I 
learned with pain and sincere regret that all my officers and 
men had been sent prisoners to England, and I now began 
seriously to think of leaving this place for Cadiz. There are 
only two ways of travelling with safety in Spain ; one is genteel 
and expensive, namely, with a strong guard of soldiers ; the 
other is in simple disguise, so that no robber can feel any interest 
in molesting you on the road. This mode I determined to 
adopt. 

Algeciras lies in lat. 36° 7' North, long. 5° 24' West, on the 
west side of Gibraltar Bay, and distant from that place by water 
about eight miles ; whilst to go round the bay by land is about 
double the distance, say seventeen or eighteen miles. It contains 
a population of about 4,500 to 5,000 souls, has a good harbor and 
considerable traffic. It is a very old city, and in ancient times 
was strongly fortified. . 

Mr. Sprague is a native of Massachusetts, and has long 
been the American Consul at Gibraltar. He is extensively 
known, and universally beloved and respected. His house has 
been for many years the seat of a generous hospitality. Al- 
though he has resided so long abroad, he has not lost a parti- 
cle of American feeling or the ardor of a true patriot.* His 
nephew, Mr. William Leach, is also a worthy, gentlemanly man, 
of superior abilities, and will ever be remembered by me with 
deep gratitude. 

After remaining in Algeciras about a fortnight, I hired a 
mule and a guide to proceed with me to Cadiz. My kind 
friends furnished me with provisions and stores for a journey of 
two days. I procured a dress, such as the peasants wear in this 
part of Andalusia, and thus prepared, on the morning of the 26th 
of December, 1814, I bade adieu to my two excellent country- 
men from whom I had received so many disinterested favors. 

* When this narrative was written, Mr. Sprague was alive, but I am sorry to say he 
is now dead. Without this explanation, there would be a discrepancy in the relation of 
this part of my history. 



222 VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONEK LEO. 

After leaving the town, we travelled about a league on a 
tolerably smooth road, and then turned off into a winding foot- 
path. I was on the mule, and my guide, a merry fellow, trudged 
along on foot, sometimes by my side, sometimes a few yards 
ahead, and when we came to a smooth path, I allowed him to 
ride on the beast behind me. The distance from Algeciras to 
Cadiz is about forty miles, and it was our intention to go to Me- 
dina and put up for the night. I soon, found we had a very in- 
tricate and difficult journey to perform. The whole country 
presented a most wild and desolate appearance ; in fact, it 
seemed to me that there could have been little or no change in 
this part of Spain, for the last five or six centuries. There were 
no public roads, a very thin and scattered population, living in 
a wretched state of poverty. 

Sometimes we travelled through deep and dark ravines over- 
grown with trees and bushes ; and after passing a deep and 
gloomy dell, where we lost sight of the sun at times for the 
space of half an hour, we would commence ascending a high 
mountain. We generally found a time-worn footpath running 
in a zig-zag direction up these dreary mountains. This mode of 
ascending would, in seaman's phrase, be called beating up. 

The progress certainly is slow and fatiguing, but the traveller 
is richly rewarded for all his toil, when once on the top of one 
of these stupendous mountains. Here he has a splendid view 
of the Straits of Gibraltar and the broad Atlantic on the south 
and east, while the Avild and unbroken scenery of the surround- 
ing country is truly magnificent. 

We continued to travel on in this manner until about two 
o'clock in the afternoon, when we came to a miserable Posada. 
Here we stopped to feed the mule and rest and refresh ourselves 
for an hour, and found, to my great surprise, we had only made 
about ten miles from Algeciras, and were still about the same 
distance from Medina. 

The people of the United States can scarcely believe that an 
old country like Spain is in such a wretched condition as I 
found this part of it ; without roads, the land generally un- 
cultivated, without hotels or taverns to accommodate strangers, 
and infested with robbers and banditti ; even in the vicinity of 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. / 223 

cities and large towns, there is no safety in travelling without 
a military guard. This is certainly a gloomy picture of poor 
Spain, once so great and powerful, now distracted by factions 
and civil war, divested of the greatest part of her once rich 
colonies, her government weak, without money and without 
credit. 

There are many causes for this sad downfall, but the princi- 
pal are ignorance, idleness, superstition, priestcraft and bad 
government. 

Oh, happy America ! how glorious art thou among the 
nations of the earth ! Long may an all-wise Being shower his 
blessings upon thee, and keep thee from the wiles of superstition 
and popery ! 

My guide Manuel said the mule was ready, and he only 
waited my pleasure to proceed. I said " Adios Senor" to our 
ignorant Posadero, and we were again wending our intricate 
way towards Medina. It is impossible for me to describe the 
windings and turnings, the up-hill and down course of these 
villanous passage-ways ; I will not call them roads, for they de- 
serve not the name. 

At length we caught sight of the desired city where we 
were to remain during the approaching night. On beholding 
Medina, I was forcibly struck with the beautiful simile of the 
Saviour's, that " a city set on a hill cannot be hid." This is 
literally true with respect to Medina ; it stands on a high hill, 
its walls, churches and houses are all plastered and whitened, 
and it may be seen at a great distance in every direction. 
For about a league before we reached this elevated city we 
came into a more pleasant country : we now and then met with 
patches of cultivated and pasture land, and saw occasionally a 
small hacienda, with running brooks and marks of civilization. 
In the immediate neighborhood of the town, I frequently saw 
small stone bridges, which appeared extremely ancient; they 
were evidently not built in modern days, but probably erected 
either by the Romans or Moors, in the olden times, when Spain 
was subdued by these ancient and once powerful nations. For 
some distance around the foot of the hill or mountain on whicli 
Medina is located, the grounds are pleasantly diversified with 



224 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK LEO. 

olive fields, orange gardens and green meadows, on which herds 
of cattle were grazing. When we passed through these rural 
scenes, the weather was soft and fine, and. here we inhaled 
the light and exhilarating air from the orange groves. "What a 
delightful country ! God has done every thing for this people, 
but they have done nothing for themselves. How lovely is na- 
ture when softened and cultivated by the hand of industry, and 
how happy is man when governed by just and righteous prin- 
ciples ! 

Fortunately, we arrived at this singular city just before sun- 
down, which enabled me to enjoy a beautiful view from its 
high walls, while the sun was gilding with its setting rays the 
towers of the churches, and the clouds and mountains beyond 
them. It certainly was not so grand and sublime as that which 
I saw in the morning from the top of the lofty mountains, but 
it was truly delightful to behold the peaceful scenery of pastoral 
life, contrasted with the wild and savage ravines in the back- 
ground of the picture. Who can behold such scenes as these, 
and not become a better man, while thus looking through na- 
ture up to nature's God ? ; ' How wonderful are thy works, O 
God ; in wisdom hast Thou made them all." 

My guide led me to a miserable Posada to put up for the 
night. When I asked for a room, I was shown into a dark, 
gloomy, prison-like place about ten feet square, with a stone 
floor and but one chair, without a bed or a table, and all I 
could get from the Posadero was a few boiled eggs, with some 
sour wine. Fortunately, my kind friends in Algeciras had 
provided stores for myself and guide, so that with the eggs and 
wine we made a tolerable supper. Being fatigued with the day's 
ride, I asked for a bed, when a coarse one of straw was brought 
and spread upon the stone floor, without either blanket, sheet, or 
pillow. I threw myself upon this bed, and, with my cloak for a 
covering, was soon asleep, and scarcely awoke until roused at 
daylight hy my guide to resume our journey. 

Whether Mauuel took me to this miserable stopping-place 
from motives of policy to avoid suspicion and observation, I 
know not. It is, however, more than probable that there are 
better lodging-houses for those who are acquainted with the 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 225 

town. I had entire confidence in my guide, he being recom- 
mended by my kind friends Messrs. Sprague and Leach, and 
was therefore satisfied. After settling our bill, we were soon 
on the road descending from the lofty city. I regret I had 
not an opportunity of seeing more of the town, but as we had 
now made but half the journey, and Cadiz was still twenty-two 
miles distant, it was absolutely necessary to hasten our de- 
parture. It is a walled town, and I was told it contained about 
eight or ten thousand inhabitants. It has a fort, or castle, two 
or three churches, five or six monasteries, two hospitals, and 
several manufactories of earthenware, which is principally sold 
in Cadiz and Seville. 

After leaving Medina, we found the country less moun- 
tainous, and the roads tolerably good. "We passed through 
several small towns and villages, and as we drew near to 
Cadiz, were able to purchase the ordinary necessaries of life. 
Notwithstanding we had only a journey of twenty-two miles 
from Medina, we did not arrive in Cadiz until five o'clock in 
the afternoon, on the 28th of December. Here I put up 
at one of the principal hotels for the night. The next morn- 
ing I settled with and despatched my guide, and we parted 
mutually satisfied. I then sallied out in pursuit of my own 
countrymen, and soon had the good fortune to meet with an 
old friend, James Haggarty, Esq., a native of Richmond, Vir- 
ginia. I immediately took lodgings with that gentleman in a 
private family, which consisted of a widow lady and her four 
daughters. Senora Quartini was a native of Cadiz, and a 
kind, excellent woman. Her daughters were very amiable 
and obliging, and from their frequent intercourse with 
American gentlemen, two of them had acquired a pretty good 
knowledge of the English language. These benevolent peo- 
ple were full of sympathy and kindness. They were truly 
pious without ostentation, and although Roman Catholics, 
were free from bigotry. Their goodness of heart and simple 
manners made even strangers feel perfectly at home, and I 
regarded myself as fortunate in becoming an inmate of this 
delightful family. 

My friend H. introduced me to our Consul, Joseph E. 
15 



226 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 

Bloomfield, Esq., and also to Richard W. Mead, Esq., and his 
amiable family. Mr. Mead was from Philadelphia, and a resi- 
dent merchant here at this time. During my stay, I expe- 
rienced much hospitality, both from our worthy Consul and 
Mr. Mead. The latter gentleman politely gave me a free 
ticket to his box in the theatre, and rendered me many little 
civilities which are always gratifying to a stranger. My friend 
Haggarty was always ready to negotiate my drafts on Bor- 
deaux or London, so that, as far as personal comfort was con- 
cerned, I had nothing to complain of. A few days after my 
arrival here, I received a letter from my friend, William Leach, 
Esq., informing me that the good old Norwegian, soon after I 
left Algeciras, came over from Gibraltar to see me, and that 
he had been unable to learn the fate of my officers. The letter 
also brought me glad tidings of the victory of General Brown 
over the British, at Fort Erie, and of the prospect of an early 
treaty of peace being agreed upon by the ambassadors of the 
two nations at Ghent. 

On the first of January, 1815, I wrote to my first lieuten- 
ant, informing him of my movements since we parted at 
Gibraltar, and inclosed him a supply of money and the letters 
of introduction so kindly given to me by Captain Wise and 
Lieutenant Daly, hoping that they might be of use to him and 
the others officers, if they were sent to England. 

The Spaniards are a peculiar people, and their character 
can only be learned by a long residence in their country. An 
intelligent Spaniard prides himself more on what his country 
has been, than what it is at present. He mourns over its fallen 
greatness, and shrugs his shoulders with a sigh. 

The higher classes are extremely romantic, both in love and 
friendship, and consider their word fully equal to a sealed bond. 
This high sense of honor sometimes descends even to the high- 
way robber ; for example, I once knew a gentleman who was 
robbed of $400 (all the money he had with him) on the high- 
way from Seville to Cadiz. He observed that his was a hard 
case, that he had not sufficient means to defray his expenses 
back to Cadiz. The robber observed, " Amigo meo, how much 
will be sufficient to pay your expenses on the road ? " The 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 227 

gentleman replied, " I think about fifteen or twenty dollars." 
The robber handed him twenty dollars, with a pompous air, 
and drawing himself np to his full height said, "Take it, and 
don't say on your return to Cadiz, that you met with a robber 
who was incapable of a generous action." The ladies also par- 
take of the same characteristic traits ; they are very effeminate 
and interesting, with soft and pleasing manners, and though so 
gentle and fascinating, are, when roused, perfect heroines in 
courageous action. 

At the time of which I am writing there was a large circus 
or amphitheatre in the vicinity of Cadiz, spacious enough to ac- 
commodate 10,000 people. I have seen the edifice filled to 
overflowing with all classes of the community, from the 
Governor and the public authorities of the town with their 
families, down to the common boatman and laborer ; collected 
together to see three or four men, on foot and on horseback, 
fight and kill eight or ten wild bulls. When a bull has shown 
uncommon fury, and a corresponding degree of coolness and 
courage has been displayed on the part of the matadors, I have 
seen this vast assemblage thrown into perfect ecstasies, and the 
fine ladies in the boxes wave their white handkerchiefs with 
enthusiastic cries of " Yiva, Viva," and throw down garlands of 
flowers to the matadors in the arena. 

After relating these apparent contradictions in the Spanish 
character, I think it will readily be conceded that it requires a 
long residence among them fully to understand their peculiari- 
ties. I have been for many years in communication with Spain 
and her colonies, and have arrived at the conclusion that there- 
is less medium in the Spanish character than among other 
nations, and that there the best and the worst people in the 
world are to be found. 

I was living here perfectly at leisure, and what with the 
social intercourse of the friendly family with whom I lodged, 
the theatre, and other public amusements, I found the time 
passed away agreeably and rapidly. 

On the 14th of January, I received a warm-hearted letter 
from my kind and ever obliging friend Horatio Sprague, in 
which he mentioned that my escape had been the wonder of 



228 VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONEK LEO. 

Gibraltar ; that an unremitted search was made for me during 
three days, both in the city and among the vessels in the bay, 
and that the noble old Norwegian was fairly infested with mid- 
shipmen and others searching after me. Although I was 
agreeably located in Cadiz, and had found many kind friends, 
from whom I had received much hospitality and friendly favors, 
still I was an idler, and began to tire of such an inactive, useless 
life ; and, as there was no prospect of obtaining a passage home 
from this place, I decided to take passage in a small Portuguese 
schooner for Lisbon. This was a coasting vessel, manned with 
a captain, mate and ten sailors, just double the number of men 
that would be employed to navigate an American vessel of the 
same size. In this schooner I agreed for a berth in the cabin, 
and was to furnish my own stores, with the proviso that the 
cook should do all the cooking I might require. With this un- 
derstanding, I purchased a few hams, a bag of bread, a demi- 
john of wine, tea, sugar, coffee and other stores, sufficient for 
fifteen days. 

The schooner being ready, 1 bade adieu to all my friends in 
Cadiz on the 15th of February, having been there just forty- 
nine days. I sailed out of the bay with a heavy heart at part- 
ing with so many who were true and faithful. I had a few 
choice books with me to read on the passage, and had become 
so much accustomed to all kinds of life, that I felt I should be 
able to accommodate myself to almost any condition. I soon 
found that the captain was a good disciplinarian, and managed 
his vessel very well ; although he had never made a foreign 
voyage, he knew the coast and understood his business, and I 
felt myself fortunate in having fallen into such good hands. 

This was the first time I had ever sailed under the Portu- 
guese flag, and many of their customs were quite new to me. 
One peculiarity I observed that I never witnessed before. 

Three times a day, the captain summoned every body on 
board to the quarter-deck ; then they all knelt down, morning, 
noon, and evening, and repeated their prayers, the captain 
always taking the lead. The schooner was a dull sailer, and as 
we had generally light winds, we did not reach Cape St. Vin- 
cent until the fifth day after leaving Cadiz. This is a high, 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 229 

bold cape, lying in lat. 37° 3' K long. 9° 2' W. We passed 
close to this conspicuous headland, I should think not more 
than half a mile distant, on the 20th of Februaiy, at four o'clock 
in the afternoon, when the captain called all hands to the 
quarter-deck, and addressed them as follows : " Officers and 
men, it has pleased God to bring us in safety thus far on our 
voyage; now let us all kneel down and thank Him for His 
goodness and mercy to us poor sinners, and beseech Him to 
conduct us in safety to our destined port." They were, I should 
think, some fifteen or twenty minutes occupied in prayer, and 
then returned to their ordinary vocations. 

"We crept slowly along shore, and on the 23d got safe into 
Lisbon, after a passage of eight days. I regret that I recollect 
neither the captain's name nor that of his vessel. I had made 
so many voyages to this place, that, upon landing, I felt quite 
at home, and was soon in the society of many of my own 
countrymen. I met in Lisbon a New York friend, James L. 
Kennedy, Esq., who came out to that place supercargo of an 
American vessel, and was, like myself, very desirous of return- 
ing to New York. Mr. Kennedy, during his stay in Lisbon, 
became acquainted with a Portuguese house in the wine trade. 
These gentlemen owned a nice little brig, of about one hundred 
and eighty tons burthen, called the Tres Hermanos. They 
loaded her with a cargo of wine, oil, etc., and agreed with him 
to proceed in her to New York as supercargo, with liberty to 
return again to Lisbon in the brig, or remain in New York, which- 
ever should suit his interest. She was commanded by a very 
young man, with but little experience, and had a miserable set 
of Portuguese sailors. In this brig one of the owners offered 
me a passage free from any charge, upon condition that I would 
assist the young captain with my experience and advice. He 
had never been to the United States, and said he should be very 
happy to profit by my experience. My friend Kennedy was 
also very desirous that I should go ; and said we should enjoy 
each other's society, and that would shorten the passage. I 
must confess I had some serious misgivings on the subject of 
sailing under the Portuguese flag, with an inefficient captain 
and a filthy crew ; but as there was no American vessel to sail 



230 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK LEO. 

for several weeks, and the treaty of peace with Great Britain 
was not ratified, I concluded to take passage in this neutral 
vessel. 

Before sailing, the principal owner told the captain to attend 
to the comfort of Mr. Kennedy and myself, to treat us with 
respect, and consult me always on the most judicious course to 
steer, &c, &c. He promised to comply with the request of the 
owner, and, with much complacency, said he had no doubt we 
should be very happy together. All these promises he most 
shamefully broke a few days after we got to sea. I remained 
in Lisbon just eighteen days, and, on the 13th of March, 1815, 
sailed in the good brig Tres ITermanos, for New York. 

After getting to sea, I was determined not to interfere with 
the course of the vessel, nor to proffer my advice unless it was 
called for, and then with the greatest delicacy, and never in the 
slightest degree, make any remark to offend the mates or sailors 
during the long and tedious passage. The little, narrow-minded 
captain did not consult me at all on the course of the vessel, and 
absolutely appeared so jealous of me that my position was al- 
most insupportable, and had not my friend Kennedy been on 
board, and the brig bound to New York, I should probably 
have been worse treated by these wretches. Although I scarcely 
exchanged a word with one of his men during the passage, I 
once overheard them say they should like to knock me in the 
head, and throw me overboard. In lieu of steering a judicious 
course, and keeping a fair distance to the northward of the 
Western Islands, the poor devil steered down among the islands, 
where we were becalmed for several days, and made miserable 
progress getting to the westward. The brig was in such a filthy 
condition that Mr. Kennedy and myself suffered out of measure 
with one of the plagues of Egypt. The probability is, that be- 
fore leaving Lisbon, the sailors were allowed to sleep in the 
berths in the cabin, so that every part of the vessel was overrun 
with vermin. 

By contrary winds and bad management our passage was 
prolonged to fifty-eight days. On the 9th of May we took a 
Sandy Hook pilot, and the same day arrived in New York. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER LEO. 231 

I was rejoiced to land once more in the United States, after 
an absence of sixteen months and twenty-one days. 

I cannot leave this brig without warning my friends and 
countrymen, never to take passage across the Atlantic in a 
Portuguese vessel of any description. 

On my return home, I found all my family and friends 
well. Peace was again restored to the United States. 

Seven and a half months after this date, I received a letter 
from Mr. Henry Allen, the worthy young man who was second 
lieutenant with me in the Leo, from which I make the fol- 
lowing extracts : 

" Salem, 24<A December, 1815. 

Captain George Coggeshall : 

Deak Sir : — If you have seen Mr. Depeyster, he has pro- 
bably informed you of my unfortunate attempt to escape from 
Gibraltar. 

After waiting about ten minutes (time I thought sufficient 
for 3 r ou to reach the mole), I left the wine shop in the same 
manner, as yourself, and had already passed the two gates, 
and was on the mole, when I was arrested by the sergeant 
under whose charge Ave were, who demanded, in the most 
severe manner, where you were. Sensible that you must 
have been on the mole at the time, I told him that when you 
lett me you were going to Messrs. Turnbull & Co.'s. He 
immediately turned back, and, with myself, proceeded to 
their house. After gaining it, and passing away about forty- 
five minutes, he suspected I was deceiving him, consequently 
returned with me to the mole to make all inquiries, but in 
vain. He left your description with the officer of the mole. 
He then dragged me to the town major, who went immedi- 
ately on horseback to every passage in the garrison with your 
description. 

Fortune and my best wishes, however, favored your escape. 
We were carried to England, and remained till the 29th of 
April. When released, I came home as an agent for one of 
the cartels." 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

VOYAGE IN THE SHIP " JOHN HAMILTON," FROM BALTIMORE TO SAVAN- 
NAH, THENCE TO LISBON AND ST. TJBES, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN 
THE YEARS 1815 AND 1816. 

A few days after my arrival at New York from Lisbon, in 
the Portuguese brig Tres Hermanos, I returned to my quiet 
home in Milford. To visit my mother, sister and other dear 
friends after so long an absence, was to me a heart-felt pleasure. 
I trust I was not ungrateful to God, who had so kindly delivered 
me not only from the power of the enemy, but also from the 
violence of the tempest and the storm. I was not, however, 
permitted long to enjoy the society of those so dear to my heart, 
for I soon received a letter from my former employers, Messrs. 
Archibald G-racie & Sons, requesting me to return to New 
York forthwith. 

During our war with Great Britain (which had but recently 
terminated), a large English ship called the John Hamilton had 
been captured by some American cruiser, sent into Baltimore, 
and there condemned with her cargo. This ship was 533 tons 
burden, laden with mahogany from the Bay of Honduras, and 
bound for England. American papers were obtained for her, 
and Messrs. Gracie & Sons became her agents. By their re- 
quest I left New York for Baltimore on the 9th of June, 1815, 
to take the command and proceed from Baltimore to Savannah, 
for a cargo of rice and cotton for Lisbon. I agreed with Mr. 
Charles M. Hanstrom to go with me in the capacity of chief 
mate : he had been formerly mate with me in the ship America, 
and was a very worthy, efficient man. He left New York a 
few days after, and joined the ship in Baltimore. I also took 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 233 

with me ray youngest brother Francis, a lad about seventeen 
years old, as my clerk, and sent him to Baltimore by water in 
charge of my baggage. I arrived there on the 12th of June 
and took charge of the ship. She had been laid up for several 
months, and upon examination I found the fore and mainmasts 
quite rotten, and many other spars of less importance also de- 
fective. These masts and spars were all replaced with new 
ones, and the ship cafked and ballasted with stone, before she 
could proceed to sea. This occupied about a month, when I 
shipped a second mate, Mr. Archibald B,. Grade, of Jamaica, 
L. I., a fine young man about twenty-two years of age, with a 
crew of fifteen seamen ; and on the 12th of July left Baltimore, 
bound for Savannah. We had light winds from the southward, 
and did not leave the Capes until the 17th. I discharged the 
pilot off Cape Henry. The ship was in light ballast trim, only 
drawing eleven feet water, and when the wind was ahead, we 
made but little progress beating to windAvard. 

It was now midsummer, the weather extremely warm, the 
winds light and almost constantly ahead, from the S. W., so that 
with the greatest exertion we were not able to pass Cape Hat- 
teras until the tenth day after leaving Cape Henry, and day 
after day were beating with light winds from the southward and 
westward, in sight of Cape Fear. It was one of the most te- 
dious passages I ever made, considering its short distance. 

"We however arrived safe at Savannah on the 7th of August, 
after a passage of twenty-five days. The summer, up to this 
date, had been excessively hot, and the winds almost constantly 
from the S. W. Many vessels from the northern States had 
long passages as well as ourselves. One ship was fifty-four days 
in reaching there from New York. 

The John Hamilton leaked so badly on the passage, that I 
did not think it prudent to take a cargo on board without calk- 
ing her, and for this purpose was compelled to heave her out 
and calk her throughout ; this occupied about ten days. The ship 
drew too much water to load at the town, and we were obliged 
to drop her several miles down the river, to a place called 
" Four-mile Point," to take the cargo on board. Our consignee, 
or commercial agent there, was Barney McKinney, Esq. This 



234 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON". 

gentleman had purchased a cargo of rice and cotton, by order 
and for account of Francis T. Sampayo, Esq., a Portuguese gen- 
tleman, at this time residing in JSTew York. It had been ready 
to go on board for several weeks, but owing to our detention, 
refitting the ship in Baltimore, long passage, and heaving out 
the ship to repair, combined, we were delayed until the midst 
of the sickly season. A few days after we commenced taking 
in the cargo, several of the sailoi^s were taken sick with the yel- 
low fever. Three out of five that I put into the hospital died 
in a few days, and this so alarmed the others, when taken ill, 
that they begged me for God's sake, not to send them there to 
die as their shipmates had done, but to get board for them in a 
private family. Accordingly, I hired a small house for their 
accommodation, and got a physician and black nurses to attend 
them. Though the poor fellows were better attended to, still 
several of them died, and not one of the crew escaped sickness, 
except the cook and steward. I was obliged to hire negroes to 
take on board and stow away the cargo. 

On the 1st of September, Mr. Iianstrom was taken ill with 
the fever. I had him brought on shore, placed him in a private 
family, and hired a physician and a nurse to attend him. The 
next day the second mate, Mr. Gracie, was taken to the same 
house, very ill with the fever, as was also my brother Francis ; 
so that both mates and my brother were very ill in one house, 
and the sailors in another. 

I was therefore obliged, myself, to attend to sending the 
cargo on board, besides visiting the sick in both houses. In 
consequence of this severe duty, watching at night with my 
brother and the two mates, and the exposure to the sun during 
the day, I was also taken very ill of the fever, at the hotel 
where I resided. I had once had the yellow fever in Mar- 
tinique, and knew the necessity of taking powerful medicine 
in the first stage of the disease. Accordingly, I acted as my 
own physician, and in two days after was able to visit the sick 
in both houses again. 

Poor Gracie, the second mate, died on the 12th of Septem- 
ber, after ten days' illness. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 235 

Mr. Hanstrom lingered until the 19th of the same month, 
when he died. 

My brother Francis was extremely reduced, and narrowly 
escaped death ; in fact, he was so feeble and emaciated, that, 
when the ship was ready for sea, I was obliged to leave him 
in the family of a friend, to be sent home as soon as he 
should be able to endure the fatigue of the passage to New 
York. 

This was the most sickly season that had been known for 
many years, so that when an English ship was announced, 
and inquiry made to whom she was consigned, the reply was, 
that the ship and cargo were consigned to A., B. & Co., but the 
captain and crew to Old Watts (the undertaker). 

I have always found that in very sickly places, where 
men are surrounded with the dead and dying, that danger 
and death make but little impression on the minds of survi- 
vors, and produce little or no solemnity, so quickly do they 
become hardened and callous to the sufferings of their fel- 
lows. During the summer there were three or four English 
ships here, which lost their captains, officers, and nearly all 
their men, and their consignees were not able to dispatch the 
vessels until the winter months. The merchants thought me 
fortunate in getting away, in what they termed so short a time. 
My ship was loaded with 1,393 tierces of rice, and 638 bales 
of cotton, and it was now my first duty to obtain officers and 
men. I found it impossible to get a suitable chief mate, and 
was therefore obliged to take the best I could find, who was 
a Mr. Peleg Billings, a native of New London, Connecticut. 
He had been reared to the sea in a fishing-smack ; was a good- 
natured, honest man, and, for aught I know, a very good fisher- 
man, but no more fit for chief mate of such a ship than I was to 
be the Pope of Rome. 

I appointed a second mate from among the seamen. His 
name was William Norton. He had never before been an 
officer, and was a man without any pretensions, but in the main 
a pretty good fellow. 

With these two mates, a Dutch carpenter, a cook and stew- 
ard, and three or four of the old crew, who had escaped death, 



236 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 

but were still weak from the effects of sickness, I took the ship 
down near the mouth of the river, repaired to the town and 
picked up such men as I could find who were willing to ship for 
a voyage to Lisbon. After a day or two I succeeded in getting 
six seamen of as many nations ; and such as they were, was 
compelled to pay them twenty-five dollars per month, and the 
chief mate fifty. After getting ready for sea, the wind con- 
tinued for several days to blow a strong gale from the !N". E., 
with rainy, dark weather, and we were unable to get out until 
the morning of the 3d of October. At meridian, this day, the 
light-house on Tybee Island bore west, six miles distant. At 
two discharged the pilot, the light-house bearing N". W., twelve 
or fourteen miles. Several of the sailors were still sick, but 
nearly all of them convalescent. 

After leaving Tybee light-house, I steered off to the S. E. 
to get into the Gulf Stream. As my crew were weak and 
sickly, I concluded that though I might have contrary winds, 
the ship would drift to the eastward at the rate of two or three 
miles the hour. For the space of ten consecutive days we had 
very variable weather; sometimes light and baffling winds, 
generally from the eastward. The ship commenced leaking 
badly soon after leaving the land, and kept one pump almost 
constantly employed. When it was stormy and the gales 
fresh and strong, we were obliged to keep both pumps at 
work, night and day. After being at sea sixteen days, we got 
as far to the eastward as long. 69° W., say off Nantucket, 
where we encountered a strong gale from the E. 1ST. E. and 
very stormy weather. At midnight on the 19th, we hove 
to under a close reefed maintopsail. Our pumps Avere con- 
stantly choking with rice, and being in great distress, I judged 
it best to run to the westward and strive to get into New 
York. In consequence of the illness of the chief mate and 
so many , of the crew, I was obliged to keep the deck almost 
day and night. "We scudded to the westward about thirty 
hours, when the wind changed to the N. W. and blew a 
severe gale from that quarter. As I could make no progress 
to the westward, I abandoned the idea of getting into the 
United States, and concluded to resume my course to the 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 237 

eastward, and if possible get into some port in Europe, to 
save the ship and cargo. 

On the 26th, we experienced a strong gale from the S. W. 
with a high sea running; weather dark and squally. At 
eight, p. m. carried away the maintopmast just above the 
cap. Both mates and ten men being still sick below, both 
pumps employed nearly all the time and almost constantly 
choking with rice ; I was unable to leave the deck during 
the whole night, and was almost exhausted with fatigue 
and watching. I have often seen hard times at sea, but this 
night was the worst and most trying, I ever experienced. 
Four good and true men with the cook and steward, were 
all I could muster during the whole of this dreadful night. 
We were then in lat. 39° 43' K, long. 61° 22' W. The next 
day, the gale continued from the S. W. but was much more 
moderate. We got the heel of the topmast on deck, and 
cleared away the wreck. We still pursued our course towards 
Lisbon and made pretty good progress, notwithstanding we had 
lost our maintopmast. 

Three days after, on the 29th at nine a. m. spoke the ship 
" Sachem," Capt. Davis, of New York, twenty-seven days from 
Bordeaux, bound home. Capt. D. kindly offered to render 
me any assistance in his power, but as the wind was favorable, 
I thanked him for his politeness, made what sail I could, and 
stood on our course. On the 30th, we had moderate breezes 
from the westward and fine weather. This day I was com- 
pelled to perform a most disagreeable duty, that of punishing 
one of my men, the Dutch carpenter, whose violence and gross 
insubordination of language and manner, especially when my 
situation was most critical and perilous, were such as to leave 
me no alternative but that of making an example of him, or aban- 
doning all discipline. He was of a quick and fiery temper, and 
in some way had obtained liquor ; and with its added fury 
became a most dangerous man. He foamed at the mouth like 
a mad dog, but after being severely chastised and literally 
drenched with water, which I found necessary to have thrown 
upon him to cool him, he became orderly, and continued so 
during the rest of the voyage. 



238 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 

On the 1st of November, one of the sick seamen 'died. 
Having suffered for several weeks, he gradually declined and 
finally expired without a struggle. He was an elderly man, of 
a mild and gentle temper. I shipped him in Savannah, just 
before sailing. The next day, the weather being fine, we got 
up our new topmast and set the sail. Passed near a brig 
standing to the westward. On the afternoon of this day, we 
committed the remains of the deceased to the great deep with 
the usual solemnities. On the 5th, made the Island of Corvo, 
bearing south twelve or fifteen leagues. Six days after, another 
seaman, by the name of "Williams, died from the effects of the 
fever taken in Savannah. We also committed his body to a 
watery grave, which was a sad and solemn scene. 

From this date, nothing remarkable occurred for seyeral 
days. We generally had fine winds and pleasant weather, 
which contributed to restore the officers and seamen to a better 
state of health. We reached Lisbon the 21st, after a passage 
of forty-six days, and I can safely say, the most disagreeable 
one I ever made up to this period of my life. 

We came to anchor nearly opposite Belem Castle, and in 
consequence of bad weather remained there for several days. 
My ship and cargo were consigned to H. T. Sampayo, a rich 
merchant established in Lisbon, and a gentleman of great influ- 
ence with all the public authorities, which I suppose was the 
reason I escaped from quarantine. 

On my arrival, my officers and crew were so far recovered 
as to pass inspection tolerably well. On the 23d of November 
we moved the ship farther up the river, nearly opposite to the 
town, and as the cotton was transhipped to England, we were 
allowed to discharge it forthwith into two small English brigs. 
This facilitated our unloading, and made clear room to discharge 
the rice. 

On the 27th instant, while I was on shore, a very unpleasant 
affair occurred on board. Mr. Norton, the second mate, had 
some difficulty with an ordinary seaman belonging to the in- 
terior of Georgia, when the sailor, in 'a fit of passion, drew from 
his pocket a small knife, and stabbed him in the left side. 
When I came on board in the evening, I found the poor fellow 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 239 

in great distress. For some Lours I feared the wound would 
prove mortal : fortunately, however, the knife had not pene- 
trated far, and in a few days he was able to resume his duty. 
The man who inflicted the wound appeared very humble and 
penitent, and with the consent and advice of Mr. Hutchinson, 
the American consul, I forthwith discharged him. He returned 
to Savannah, and here the business ended. 

After the cotton was discharged, we commenced landing a 
portion of the rice. As no voyage was determined on, there 
appeared to be no hurry on the part of the consignee, and we 
had merely to land the rice from time to time, when sold. A 
survey was held on the ship, and it was found necessary to 
heave her out, re-calk and copper her with new copper. 
The second mate and almost all the seamen desired to be dis- 
charged ; and as it was uncertain where we should next proceed 
with the ship, an arrangement was made with the men, with the 
consent of the American consul, that they should be paid off and 
leave the ship. Accordingly about the first of January, Mi-. 
Norton and nearly all the crew were discharged, after which I 
hired men by the day to unload the ship. Towards the last of 
January, when the greatest part of the rice was landed, we 
found that a large portion of the ground tier was badly damaged 
with salt water, I think from one hundred and thirty to one 
hundred and fifty casks. Had the John Hamilton been built in 
the United States, little or none of the rice would have been dam- 
aged. I think the construction of merchant ships in the United 
States is far better than in England. Many of the ports in 
England are dry at low water, and their ships must be built 
quite flat on the bottom, so that they will not heel when aground 
at low water ; whereas, in North America, it is not necessary 
to build our ships to take the ground, there being very few " tide 
harbors " in the United States. The John Hamilton was built 
at Whitby, England, and was exceedingly fiat on the floor, and 
whenever I carried taught sail upon the wind, the water would 
lie in the lee bilge where the pumps could not reach it. Often, 
on th,e passage out, I was obliged to keep the ship off before the 
' wind to pump her out, and after every possible care was taken 
to prevent it, a great portion of the ground tier of rice was 



240 VOYAGE EST THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 

badly damaged. Sharp built ships are not liable to this evil, 
and in nay opinion sail faster and work better than merchant 
ships built in England. 

"While in Lisbon, I took lodgings on the third floor of a large 
stone building five stories high. The family with whom I lived 
was composed of two widow ladies, sisters. One of these ladies 
had four children, the eldest a girl of thirteen, the youngest 
about four years old. On the night of the 1st of February, at 
one hour after midnight, I was awaked from a profound sleep 
by a violent earthquake, and before I had time to dress, the 
whole family came rushing into my room in their night-clothes, 
crying, " O ! Dios Misericordia, Misericordia ! Don Gorge Miseri- 
cordia." The women were alarmed almost to distraction, the 
children crying, dogs barking, and the chairs and tables rattling 
about the room ; while the immense stone edifice in which we 
lived was reeling to and fro, apparently in the act of tumbling 
to the ground. I called for a light, which after some moments 
was brought, when, thanks be to God, the earth had ceased to 
quake. There were various opinions about its duration ; some 
affirmed that it lasted two minutes, others, but one ; I think the 
truth lay between the extremes. 

Had it continued a minute or two longer, I have no doubt the 
greatest part of the city would have been thrown down. Soon 
after the alarm had in some measure subsided, I threw open the 
window and found the weather was dark and cloudy, with a 
little rain, but no wind. About six o'clock in the morning, we 
experienced a second shock. This shock, although very severe, 
only lasted a few seconds, and passed off without doing any 
damage. The next morning the whole city was in a high state 
of excitement ; nearly all the pendulum clocks in the town had 
stopped. Many of the houses were cracked and very much in- 
jured. Every person I met, had something to relate about the 
convulsion. That night there was a grand ball of ladies and 
gentlemen. They had ceased dancing and had just seated them- 
selves at the supper table, when the earth began to quake. A 
gentleman who was present told me it was a most distracting 
scene : he said the dishes and glasses were dancing about the 
table, and many of them thrown on the floor and broken. Some 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN" HAMILTON. 241 

of the ladies fainted, others were wringing their hands, and 
crying for help, while " Misericordia," resounded from every 
part of the grand saloon. 

The Priests, as is usual on such occasions, wished to turn 
this great convulsion of nature to their own account ; they told 
the people it was sent in punishment for their sins, and advised 
universal confession, fasting and prayer. For some eight or ten 
daj's after this great event, almost every vessel that arrived had 
sensibly felt the earthquake ; some at a distance of at least four 
hundred miles from this port. Letters received from Oporto, 
stated that it was very severely felt in that city, and I have no 
doubt but the whole of this little kingdom experienced more or 
less of the convulsion. 

A few days after this happened, I had a conversation with 
Mr. John Caffery of this place, on the subject of earthquakes.* 
Mr. C. was a worthy, intelligent, elderly gentleman of English 
parentage, and then about seventy-one years of age. He told me 
that he witnessed the horrors of the great earthquake which oc- 
curred on the 1st of November, 1755, that he was then a boy 
of ten years of age, and with his father visited many parts of the 
city. lie said it occurred between ten and eleven o'clock in the 
morning, that great numbers of people fled from their dwellings, 
and that many of the houses took fire ; crowds of people rushed 
into the churches for greater safety, when they were thrown 
down, and thousands crushed to death in the ruins. He pointed 
out to me the location of a great stone mole or quay where, at 
the time, a ferry was kept ; it was a thoroughfare where throngs 
of people collected to pass to the opposite side of the river. In 
an instant the whole of this vast quay disappeared, and every 
person perished. To use his own words, not a hat or bonnet 
was seen floating on the surface ; on the same spot where this 
stupendous quay sunk, were found three or four fathoms of 
water. Mr. C. further added, that in the midst of this dreadful 
scene of horror and destruction, were found men bad enough to 
profit by this awful calamity, by plundering those who were 
not able to protect themselves and their property ; that it was 

* The conversation with Mr. Caffery, in relation to the earthquake which occurred 
on the 1st of November, 1755, is vividlv recollected by the author down to this date, 1858. 
16 



242 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 

said these demons in human shape set fire to several houses to 
increase the confusion, and enable them to escape detection 
with their stolen goods. 

Down to this date there are many marks of this sad catas- 
trophe. I have walked over the ruins of some of the houses and 
churches that were destroyed on the declivity of a hill in the 
old part of the city. After the great earthquake the town was 
rebuilt, and extended a little higher up the river to the east- 
ward, on more level ground. This new portion of the city is 
well built ; the houses are of stone, the streets broad and regu- 
lar, all crossing each other at right angles, and is decidedly the 
finest portion of the Metropolis. 

To fill up the measure of sickness and death during this dis- 
astrous voyage, I will relate another melancholy circumstance 
that occurred while lying here. Before leaving Baltimore, I 
shipped a carpenter by the name of George Patterson, a nativd 
of Norfolk, Virginia. This man was extremely sick nearly all 
the time we remained at Savannah, but by great care and good 
nursing, he so far recovered as to be able to proceed on the 
voyage. In consequence of the low state of Patterson's health, 
I shipped the insubordinate Dutchman to act as carpenter until 
he should be able to do his duty. He however continued ill 
the greatest part of the passage out, but on our arrival got quite 
well. He was a tall man, six feet two inches in height and 
large in proportion, of an amiable temper, and in every respect 
a good man and an excellent carpenter. Before heaving the 
ship down, I had several calkers employed on her upper works 
while lying at anchor in the Tagus, nearly opposite Lisbon. 
These men were at work on stages hung over the side of the 
ship, and Patterson among the number, when at eight o'clock 
in the morning, on the 13th of February, the order was given 
for all hands to leave off work and take breakfast. Patterson 
lingered behind, as I supposed to finish a thread of oakum, and 
all the men went to breakfast. I came on deck about ten or 
fifteen minutes after and inquired for the carpenter, but alas ! 
he was not to be found, nor was he ever seen or heard of 
from that time. The current in the river at this time was run- 
ning very strong, and the probability is, that the poor fellow 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 243 

slipped off the stage and sunk to rise no more. How inscrutable 
are the designs of Providence ; this man who had escaped death 
in so many shapes from fever, tempest and storm, now when in 
apparent safety, was suddenly snatched into eternity without a 
moment's warning. 

After the cargo was all discharged, the ship was hove down, 
calked and coppered. A voj^age to the East Indies was pro- 
jected, and some preparations were made towards it, but for 
some cause or other it was finally abandoned, and after lying in 
Lisbon about four months and a half, I was ordered to ballast 
the ship with salt, go to St. Ubes, take on board the balance of 
a cargo of the same article, and proceed thence to New York. 
I accordingly shipped a new crew, put on board 200 mo} r es of 
salt, and on the 7th of April left Lisbon, and after a passage of 
six hours got safe to anchor at St. Ubes. The ship was con- 
signed to Messrs. Rego & Sons, to procure a cargo for account 
of Francis T. Sampayo, Esq. Our consignee gave me good dis- 
patch, so that in nine days I took on board 600 moyes of salt 
and was ready for sea. A few days before sailing, Frederick 
Beal, Esq., came here from Lisbon, and took passage with me 
for New York. Mr. Beal was a native of Stockholm, Sweden ; 
he was a gentlemanly man, very companionable and altogether 
an agreeable passenger. After loading the ship with salt she 
drew seventeen feet of water, and as the channel at the mouth 
of the harbor was very narrow and at this time neap tides, I was 
obliged to wait several days for a fair wind and spring tides 
before I could pass the bar. After waiting until the 24th, we 
left St. Ubes, bound for New York. 

St. Setubal or St. Ubes is so well known, that it is unneces- 
sary for me to write much on the subject ; still, according to my 
usual custom, I will make a few remarks on its location, climate, 
etc. It lies in lat. 38° 29' N., long. 8° 54' W., and about eigh- 
teen or twenty miles S. E. of Lisbon. The town is situated on 
the north side of a considerable bay, and contains twelve or 
fifteen thousand inhabitants. I should think it was about three- 
quarters of a mile long, and perhaps half a mile broad. There 
are three or four considerable streets running parallel with the 
beach, and these are crossed by others at right angles, thus 



244: VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON". 

forming a few squares; in the largest and principal one- is a 
handsome public fountain. The town is extremely ancient, and 
was once inclosed by a wall, which at present is in a dilapidated 
state. There are a few churches and convents, and a public 
hospital. There is also here a castle or fortress called St. 
Philip, and a few other small detached forts for the protection 
of the city. The streets are narrow, and the general aspect of 
the place is sombre, dull and languid. It has but little com- 
merce, and nearly all the ships and vessels that visit it come for 
salt, of which there is an abundant supply. They also export a 
little wine and fruit, such as oranges and lemons, which are of 
an excellent quality. The port is good for merchant ships ; its 
entrance is narrow and has a sand-bar at its mouth, on which 
there is at the full and change of the moon about eighteen or 
twenty feet of water, and at neap tides only fifteen or sixteen ; 
but after passing the bar, the bay opens into a broad, smooth 
harbor, where ships are safe from all winds. They can choose 
their own depth of water, namely, from five to ten fathoms. 

On a neck of land that forms the bay, opposite St. Ubes, are 
the remains of the ancient city of Cetobriga. While here, I 
strolled over the desolate ruins, where deathlike solitude and 
silence pervade the whole scene. Some of the houses are en- 
tirely covered with sand, and have only their chimneys above 
the ground ; broken pillars, building-stone and brick, with all 
kinds of debris, are strewed about in every direction, and cover 
the earth to a considerable extent. They vividly portray the 
destruction of a once populous city, now silent and desolate. 
This catastrophe must have occurred at so early a period as not 
to come within the range of authentic history ; for I could not 
learn from any of the inhabitants how or when it was destroyed, 
but conclude it was overwhelmed by an earthquake, or some 
great convulsion of nature. It always gives one sad and solemn 
feelings to walk over a ruined city, and consequently fills the 
mind with melancholy associations, which are more easily felt 
than described. The face of the country about this region is 
generally high and mountainous, but for several miles east of 
the city the land is hilly, undulating, and in its immediate 
vicinity rich and fertile, with extensive fields and gardens, 



VOYAGE m THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 245 

where a variety of excellent fruit is cultivated in great abun- 
dance ; the olives, grapes, oranges and lemons are delicious, and 
are produced with but little labor. The climate is mild, dry, 
pure and salubrious. A walk through these orange-groves on 
a fine morning is truly delightful ; to inhale the balmy air, im- 
pregnated with a combination of so many fragrant shrubs and 
flowers, is extremely pleasant and highly exhilarating. In all 
my wanderings about the world, I have never found so lovely a 
spot or so fine a climate, and were it peopled with a better race 
of men and blessed with a good government, I know of no place 
so desirable for a permanent residence as this part of Portugal. 

"We met with nothing worth remarking for many days. 
"When we had wind enough to steady the ship we got on pretty 
well, but when the sea was high and the winds light, the ship 
rolled terribly, with a short jerking motion, so that I was in 
constant fear of losing the topmasts, notwithstanding I had the 
greatest bulk of the cargo in the centre, and a large portion of 
the salt raised high up between decks. In a calm, when the 
sea was high, it was to me perfect torture to watch the masts, 
expecting at every roll to see the topmasts go over the side. 
This was owing to the bad construction of the ship. We worked 
our way to the westward without any incident worth noticing, 
until the 18th of May, at daylight, when we fell in with a great 
number of ice islands, many of which were enormously large ; 
several of them, I think, from seventy to eighty feet above the 
water, and from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet long. 
The weather being fine, I went in the yawl to the leeward of 
one of these immense islands, and took lines with me, with the 
intention of ascending to the top of one of the highest of them, 
and if possible to measure the exact height ; but when I came 
to examine the mass, I found so much sea washing and dashing 
up against its sides, that it was impossible to ascend it ; and 
although a portion of the top of the berg was porous ice and 
snow, near the water, and for several yards above the surface, 
it was as smooth as glass, and dangerous and difficult, if not 
impossible, to ascend. Lat. by obs. at noon 43° 24' N. ; long. 
by a good lunar obs. 51° 58' W. 

May 23d. — At nine a. m. made the Isle of Sable, bearing W. 



24:6 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP JOHN HAMILTON. 

S. W., about three or four leagues distant, at the same time- saw 
a fishing schooner at anchor. We had no observation of the 
sun, it being obscured by clouds and fog ; wind from the E. N. 
E. To clear the island we hauled to the southward. After 
leaving it, we continued to work along to the westward, and 
generally had fine weather until the 30th, when we arrived at 
New York, after a passage of thirty-one days from St. Ubes. 

I remained in New York a few clays to discharge the crew, 
and then returned to Milford, where I found all my family and 
friends well. This has been, without exception, the most anx- 
ious and fatiguing voyage I ever made. From the commence- 
ment to its final result, it has been marked with continuous 
scenes of vexatious annoyances ; contrary winds and gales 
always followed in quick succession, while sickness and death 
seemed tenaciously to vie with each other to fill up the measure 
of our disappointment. After remaining about a week at my 
mother's house, I returned to New York, to attend to the dis- 
charging of the salt ; it was a large cargo of eighteen thousand 
three hundred bushels. I then resigned the command of the 
John Hamilton, with a fixed determination to remain on shore 
for several months, and again returned to my native home on 
the 15th of June, 1816. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

VOYAGE IN THE PILOT-BOAT SCHOONER " IRIS," FROM NEW YORK TO 
MARTINIQUE, ST. EUSTATIA, ST. THOMAS, PORTO RICO AND ST. MAR- 
TIN'S, IN THE YEARS 1816 AND 1817. 

After completing my last voyage in the John Hamilton, in 
June, 1816, 1 gave myself a few months' leisure at my maternal 
home, when I again returned to New York in pursuit of em- 
ployment in my nautical vocation. For this purpose I pur- 
chased a small pilot-boat built schooner, of eighty tons burden, 
called the Iris. She was nearly new and proved to be an ex- 
cellent little vessel. The object of this voyage was twofold, viz., 
to traffic among the "West India Islands during the coming win- 
ter, and also to initiate and instruct two of my younger brothers 
in the essential qualities of a seaman's life ; and, by so doing, 
prepare them to be captains of ships when old enough to assume 
the command ; for the profession of a seaman is, in many re- 
spects, similar to other professions on shore. 'No one, for exam- 
ple, is willing to intrust a young lawyer with an important case, 
where a large amount of property is involved in the result ; 
neither are many judicious persons willing to employ a young, 
inexperienced doctor in an intricate case of life or death. And 
so it is with young men in our profession ; few merchants are 
willing to intrust a young officer with the command of a valua- 
ble ship and cargo, be his talents and capacity ever so great. 
But, on the contrary, after some friend, who has confidence in 
his abilities, promotes him to the command of a small vessel 
and he performs one or two successful voyages, he has no diffi- 
culty in obtaining constant employment. Knowing these facts, 



24:8 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

I have, in several instances, given young mates the command 
of small vessels, where I knew they were capable and trustwor- 
thy ; and when they had made a safe voyage or two in a small 
vessel, were soon promoted to the command of large ships, and 
found their services appreciated. 

With these objects in view, I purchased a suitable assorted 
cargo for my little schooner for the West India market, which 
consisted of flour, provisions and the general produce of the 
United States, and soon had her ready for sea. I loaded her 
for my own account : the entire cargo cost, when on board, three 
thousand dollars. 1 took with me, as mate, my brother, Charles 
Coggeshall ; also two seamen, a cook and a small cabin-boy, so 
that the whole crew comprised six in number, including myself. 

We sailed from New York on the 20th of October, 1816, 
bound for Martinique. We met with nothing remarkable dur- 
ing the passage out, except a very severe gale of wind at S. E., 
about a week after leaving port ; the wind blew with great vio- 
lence, and lasted about thirty hours. My last voyage was in 
the John Hamilton, a ship of 533 tons burden ; I now felt, from 
contrast, that I was in a cock-boat, and feared that she was too 
small to survive such a tremendous tempest, where the seas ran 
extremely high, and foaming with rage and fury ; but, thanks 
be to God, our little bark rode like a sea-bird over the billows, 
and weathered the gale with perfect safety, so that we had, ever 
after this storm, perfect confidence that the little Iris was, if 
necessary, capable of performing a voyage round the world. 
From long experience I have found that safety consists not in 
the size of a ship or vessel, but rather in the good and sound 
qualities she possesses ; perhaps a good ship of 300 or 400 tons 
burden, is as safe as any other size. A very large ship, heavily 
laden, is never safe ; she labors and strains far more than a 
smaller sized one, and this remark holds good in a greater de- 
gree when extended to line-of-battle ships. 

I remember, that in the summer of 1806, on the 18th ot 
August, a French fleet of six sail of the line and three frigates, 
commanded by Admiral Yillaumez, were returning to France 
from the West Indies, and when in the Gulf Stream, near 
Cape Hatteras, encountered a terrible tempest, which nearly 



VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER IRIS. 249 

destroyed the whole fleet. Some of them, I think, were entirely 
lost ; several crippled and dismasted. A portion of them got 
into the Havana ; three of the line-of-battle ships put into the 
Chesapeake Bay dismasted. The Veteran, 74, commanded by 
Jerome Bonaparte, was so disabled that she was finally stranded 
on the coast of Brittany, and only one of the whole number got 
safe back to Brest. 

When the wind suddenly dies away, and a high sea is 
running, it not unfrequently happens on board of a large three- 
decker that the lashings of the great guns give way, and do 
great damage before they can be secured. Let the reader 
imagine one of these large ships laboring and straining in the 
trough of a high sea, with a thousand souls on board, without 
masts or sails to steady her, leaking badly, with all her pumps 
employed to keep her free; add to this, that every now and 
then one of the great guns breaks loose from its lashings, and, 
I think, he will allow that such a situation is not a very en- 
viable one ; whereas a well organized ship of four hundred 
tons, properly loaded, may bid defiance to the tempest and the 
storm, and ride triumphantly over the billows, like Noah's ark 
in the general deluge. 

After the gale subsided, we soon got into the trade-winds, 
and proceeded on our course to our destined port without 
accident or interruption. "We made the Island of Martinique 
on the 9th of November, and the next day got safe into St. 
Pierre. In this port we found lying at anchor about twenty 
or thirty sail of American vessels, generally brigs and schooners, 
besides several French ships and brigs, and a sprinkling of the 
flags of other nations. The market was very dull for most arti- 
cles brought from the United States ; in fact, the supply was too 
great for the wants of the place, and the port extremely sickly, 
especially among the shipping ; captains, mates and seamen, 
were daily dying with the yellow fever. I lost no time in dis- 
posing of the perishable part of -my cargo, such as potatoes, 
apples, &c. 

I took great care of my crew ; kept them from sleeping on 
deck in the night-air, and also from the exposure of the noon- 
day's sun ; still, in spite of these precautionary measures, my 



250 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IKIS. 

brother was attacked with the fever early in the morning-on 
the sixth day after our arrival. I immediately hastened to an 
apothecary's shop, purchased a few doses of calomel and jalap, 
came on board, and administered a severe dose to him. I then 
repaired to my consignee, Monsieur Turbe, and requested him 
to close my accounts and clear out the vessel at the custom- 
house as soon as possible, to enable me to take advantage of the 
land breeze in the evening to leave the island, and by this 
prompt action I had great hopes I should be able to save the 
life of my brother. Monsieur T. was a benevolent, humane 
gentleman, and kindly co-operated with me to dispatch my 
schooner, so that by nine o'clock the same evening, November 
the 16th, we sailed from the port of St. Pierre and were soon 
clear of the island, Avith a fine N. E. trade wind, bound to St. 
Eustatia. The medicine thus early given to my brother, together 
with the pure sea-breeze, in all human probability saved his 
life. The next day he had not much fever, and, in the course 
of a week, was almost quite well. I have found, by long 
experience, that with the yellow fever in these sultry climates 
no time should be lost in giving powerful medicine at the first 
symptoms of the disease. 

The yellow fever raging at this time in St. Pierre was of 
the most malignant character, and very appropriately called 
the black vomit. Almost every vessel lost one or more of its 
crew; some of them their captains, others their officers and 
several of the seamen ; some were taken sick in the morning 
and buried before night. 

I knew a large healthy young man, supercargo of a New- 
London brig, of a full bodily habit, who died after twelve 
hours' sickness, and his body was so changed, that it was 
found necessary to bury it in two or three hours after death. 
Notwithstanding it was so sickly in the port and among the 
shipping, it was perfectly healthy in the country, even at the 
distance of a mile or two from the town of St. Pierre ; in fact, 
the sickness was principally confined to strangers ; very few of 
the natives were ill, and none died with the fever during my 
stay at the island. 

Martinique is so near the United States, and is so well 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 251 

known, that it is perhaps superfluous for me to enter into a descrip- 
tion of it; I will therefore only make a few remarks on its situa- 
tion, number of inhabitants, &c. The island is mountainous, 
and lies between lat. 14° M< and 14° 53' K, long. 62° 15' "W". 
of London. It is a colony of France, and one of the largest and 
most important of the Windward West India Islands ; is about 
thirty-eight miles long and ten or twelve broad. It has three 
considerable towns or cities. Port Royal, the capital and seat 
of government, has a population of ten or twelve thousand souls. 
St. Pierre is a pretty town, built on the side of a moderate-sized 
hill, so that, the houses all overlook each other, which enables 
its inhabitants to have a clear view of the sea ; it contains some 
ten or fifteen thousand inhabitants, of all colors. There are here 
several fountains of pure, fresh water, which supply the city ; 
besides the convenience of having an abundance of good drink- 
ing water, it also tends to cool and refresh the town. It is con- 
ducted through all the principal streets, always keeps them clean, 
promotes health, and is in every respect, a great blessing to the 
inhabitants. The other town is called La Trinite and lies on the 
east side of the island ; it has a population of four thousand, 
men, women and children. The whole island is said to contain 
about one hundred and eighteen thousand inhabitants, of whom 
forty thousand are white, and the remainder mulattoes and 
negroes. The principal or staple productions of Martinique are 
sugars, molasses, rum, coffee and dye-woods ; their imports are 
flour and provisions from the United States, wines and all other 
kinds of luxuries from Prance, their fatherland ; their general 
language is Creole French. We had a pleasant passage of four 
days down to St. Eustatia ; here I retailed the principal part of 
my remaining cargo at a very fair profit. This is a small but 
very healthy island, lying in lat. 17° 34' K, long. 67° 40' W. 
On this island there is an exhausted volcano. It appears that 
the mountain, where a large volcano once existed, is now a mere 
shell, burnt down probably to the level of the sea ; in this im- 
mense cavity are growing large trees and bushes, and the place 
is called by the inhabitants, " the devil's punch-bowl." 

The town is built on the southwest side of the island, and 
probably contains two or three thousand inhabitants. St. 



252 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

Eustatia is a colony of Holland, and the whole island contains 
about fourteen or fifteen thousand inhabitants, including the 
free negroes and slaves. From this place may be seen St. 
Christopher's, Saba, and, on a clear day, several other islands. 
Its principal productions are sugar, rum and molasses, with a 
little tobacco. Fish are abundant and cheap ; and, as some por- 
tions of the island are fertile, they raise yams, potatoes and a 
little Indian corn ; hogs, goats and poultry are also reared, so 
that the principal part of the inhabitants manage to live pretty 
well. They have a substantial Protestant church, which is gen- 
erally well attended, and I should pronounce them a virtuous, 
moral people. Although most of them understand and speak 
Dutch, I found Creole English generally spoken. Creole 
English and Creole French are the general language of all 
this group ; I mean all the islands in this vicinity : Nevis, 
St. Kitts, St. Bartholomew, St. Martin's, Santa Cruz, St. Tho- 
mas and many others: — in a word, the inhabitants of these 
islands converse in bad French and worse English, with a 
tiresome, monotonous drawl, which often partakes largely of 
the negro accent, and renders it difficult for strangers to un- 
derstand them. 

After remaining here about a fortnight, I sailed on the 
evening of the fifth of December, and had a pleasant passage 
of sixteen hours down to St. Thomas. At this place I met 
with another of my brothers, Mr. James Coggeshall, whom 1 
had not seen for some years. He was a fine young man, about 
twenty-one years of age, had just arrived here from ISTew- 
York, and but recently returned from England, where he had 
been imprisoned at Dartmoor for six or eight months, during 
our late war with that nation, and where, by good fortune, 
he narrowly escaped the barbarous massacre of his country- 
men in that odious prison. At my request, the captain of the 
vessel to which my brother belonged, consented to discharge 
him : and here I gave up the command of the Iris to my broth- 
er Charles, and placed James Coggeshall in his situation as 
mate ; and thus one of the principal objects in purchasing this 
schooner was accomplished. I still remained attached to the 
vessel as owner and supercargo, while my two trusty and very 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 253 

worthy brothers were with me, — the one as captain, the other as 
mate. I now felt myself happy in this very pleasant situation, 
and already began to anticipate the day when I should see these 
two young men commanding each a line ship, and daily grow- 
ing in virtue, intelligence and respectability. 13ut, alas ! how 
vain and futile are all human calculations, and how often are 
our best plans frustrated and brought to nought, as it will ap- 
pear in the sequel ; still we should not complain when we pursue 
the path of duty. The longer I live the more am I convinced 
of the truth that every thing is ordered in wisdom, and that the 
words of our Divine Teacher are, and ever will remain, true, 
that not a sparrow falls to the ground without the will and knowl- 
edge of our Heavenly Father. 

In the summer of 1816, the weather throughout the United 
States was extremely cold, particularly in the northern section 
of the Union. In consequence of the cold, cloudy weather, the 
crop of Indian corn was very small. In the New England 
States there was not one-third part of the usual quantity pro- 
duced, and it became so high in price, say two dollars per 
bushel, that there was none to spare to ship to the West Indies. 
During my whole life I have never known so cold a season in 
the New England States as that of 18i6 ; at this time, I often 
heard it remarked that in Connecticut there was frost in some 
parts of the State every month during the whole year. Knowing 
these facts, I decided on going to Porto Rico for a cargo of Indian 
corn, and other articles, and from thence beat up to St. Martin's. 
Accordingly, after remaining at St. Thomas about a week, we 
left the place for Ponce, Porto Rico, on the 12th of December. 
Twenty-four hours after leaving St. Thomas we arrived at the 
port of Ponce, a beautiful, well-sheltered little bay. on the south 
side of the island. Here I sold what little I had to dispose of, 
and commenced buying Indian corn at this place, and the adja- 
cent little towns and villages ; and, after lying here thirteen days, 
and securing a considerable quantity, I took the schooner down 
the coast, about two leagues further to the westward, to a little 
port called Tayabo. Here I purchased and took on board eleven 
tons of lignum vitse, for which I paid eight dollars per ton. 

While here I employed a French gentleman, by the name 



254 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IKI8. 

of St. Argu, to assist me in my business. In company with this 
person I rode on horseback from town to town, and from village 
to village on the south side of the island, to purchase cattle and 
corn from the country people ; the corn we generally bought 
for about half a dollar the hundred ears, it being the general 
custom of selling corn on this island. The husks were not en- 
tirely removed, but turned down and tied together in pairs, then 
thrown across a horse, brought down to the beach, and taken on 
board in the schooner's boats. Before we could take it on board, 
it was necessary to procure a permit from the Alcalde of a 
town situated some six or eight miles distant from Tayabo, in the 
interior of the island, at a place called Pcnuela, for which pur- 
pose St. Argu and myself started early on a Sunday morning on 
horseback. 

At Penuela there is quite a large church, to which the 
country people repair in crowds to attend mass on Sunday 
mornings. 

On our way thither, my friend St. Argu observed that before 
proceeding to business, it was absolutely necessary for us to 
go to the cathedral, and attend mass ; otherwise, said he, the 
people will take us for heretics, and will sell us no corn ; 
neither shall we be able • to obtain permission to take on board 
what we have already purchased. I replied that I was not a 
Roman Catholic, and knew nothing of the forms necessary to 
go through the ordinary ceremonies of the church. He an- 
swered that there was very little difference between the Roman 
Catholic and the Protestant faith ; that the Catholics approached 
God through the mediation of the Mother of Jesus, while the 
Protestants appealed directly to the Son, which to him, was im- 
material, and of no manner of consequence. He furthermore 
added, he had lived among these people fifteen years ; that his 
wife was a native of the island, and that he knew their charac- 
ter perfectly well. To all these assertions I only replied, " I 
have no desire to oppose these people in their religious opinions, 
and will with pleasure go with you to the church ; " for which 
purpose we left our horses at the posada, and. repaired forthwith 
to mass ; the time occupied in these ceremonies was about fif- 
teen or twenty minutes. We then returned to the posada, took 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 255 

"breakfast, and afterwards called on the Alcalde, to obtain his 
permission to ship the corn we had purchased. This sprig of 
justice in authority kept a tienda, and was surrounded by some 
eight or ten common-looking people, all listening to the recital 
of the valiant feats he had performed in Spain, when he was a 
subaltern officer in the Spanish army against the French, in 
1813, when that nation invaded Spain. We, with the rest, of 
course listened to the relation of his gallant conduct, for it cer- 
tainly would have been very impolite and impolitic to have in- 
terrupted him when thus mounted on his war-horse, dashing on 
in his pompous recital in the high-sounding tones of the Old 
Castile language. When he had finished the fight and annihi- 
lated the enemy, he received, of course, the enthusiastic ap- 
plause and approbation of all the bystanders. 

At length my friend the Frenchman introduced me as the 
supercargo of an American vessel, who had brought large sums 
of gold and silver to the island to purchase cattle and Indian 
corn, and that I only waited his pleasure and permission to ship 
these articles on board of my schooner. He observed, that as 
for cattle and horses they could spare any quantity, but, with 
respect to Indian corn, that was quite another question ; that it 
might, perhaps, be a serious evil to take away, as it were, the 
staff of life from the people. I began to feel nettled and un- 
easy, until I saw the wily Frenchman tip him the wink, and 
slyly show him a doubloon. This operated like a magic charm 
upon the brave Alcalde, when he adroitly changed his tone, and 
addressed all those who had been listening to him, in substance 
as follows : " Gentlemen, it is true, as I have before remarked, 
that in times of great scarcity it certainly would be wrong to 
allow corn to leave the island ; but, thank God, that is not the 
case at present ; on the contrary, this season we have been 
blessed with an abundant crop. It is, therefore, a vast advan- 
tage to the colony to dispose of the surplus, and thus enrich the 
country with gold and silver. For my part, I think the super- 
cargo deserves the thanks of the community for his enterprising 
spirit, in coming here with his dollars and doubloons to pur- 
chase our surplus produce." 

This speech was loudly applauded by all the tribe of listen- 



256 VOYAGE m THE SCHOONER IKIS. 

ers, and forthwith he called for pen, ink and paper, and wrote a 
general permit to take on board corn, and other productions of 
the island ; and here the farce ended to our mutual satisfaction. 
At this period, the south side of Porto Rico was but thinly in- 
habited, and but a small portion of the land cultivated. There 
were but few sugar plantations, and those on a very small 
scale : in fine, it was a beautiful pastoral country, and well 
adapted to the rearing of cattle, as well as for the general pur- 
poses of cultivation. In the centre of the island is a high chain 
of mountains running from east to west, almost its entire length, 
and from them issue rivers and streams of pure, limpid water. 
These diverge into brooks and rivulets, wind around the small 
hills into the meadow-land, and from thence run into the sea. 

The land generally in this part of the island is settled by 
small planters, who cultivate a few acres in the rearing of cof- 
fee and plantain trees, the produce of these trees being an ex- 
cellent substitute for bread, and is their principal support. 
They also raise a little Indian corn, and generally grow from 
100 to 1,000 pounds of coffee each. 

The quantity they produce depends almost entirely on their 
own industry or inclination ; the lands being extremely fertile, 
will produce very abundant crops, almost without labor. Many 
of these small planters rear horses and cattle without any appa- 
rent trouble. The horned cattle are a very handsome breed oi 
animals, extremely docile, and as sleek as moles ; many of the 
horses are also handsome and high-spirited. Almost all of these 
small farmers raise a little tobacco, and some of them sell a few 
hundred pounds, besides what they retain for their own use. 
Tropical fruits, such as oranges, lemons, plantains, bananas and 
pineapples, grow here in profusion, almost without cultivation. 

These people also raise pigs, goats, turkeys, fowls and other 
domestic animals. The climate of the south side of this island, 
though warm, is far from being unhealthy. The face of the 
country south of the high ridge of mountains, is beautifully di- 
versified with hills and dales, and taking every thing into con- 
sideration pertaining to it, it certainly is a very desirable and 
beautiful country. I frequently saw along the roadside, wild 
coffee in full bearing, and when cultivated in the smallest de- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 257 

gree, it produces -an abundant crop. I have thus far endeav- 
ored to describe how bountiful Providence has been to these 
people, and will now with reluctance state how little they ap- 
preciate the rich blessings of God. The greatest part of them 
are extremely indolent and filthy, spending hour after hour 
swinging in their hammocks, when they should be attending to 
their farms. In almost every house are slung two or three 
grass hammocks, and instead of inviting you to take a chair as 
in other countries, they ask you to take a swing in a hammock. 
On Sundays and holidays they will ride five or six miles to at- 
tend a dance or a cock-fight, and are deeply steeped in the dark 
superstition of the Roman Catholic religion. Still, notwith- 
standing their ignorance, idleness and superstition, they are 
apparently happy, or at least contented in their own ideas of 
social life, for when one of these small farmers is mounted for a 
ride on horseback, with his long machete dangling by his side, 
he throws all the cares of life to the wind, and snuffs the fresh 
air in self-sufficiency and lofty pride, like a wild horse on the 
Western prairies ; and when dressed with a broad-brimmed 
straw hat, short calico jacket, clean white shirt, with gold but- 
tons at the bosom, with a pair of checked pantaloons, and a 
segar in his mouth — I say when he is thus decked off, he sallies 
forth to a Mass, cock-fight, or fandango, and is in his own opin- 
ion, the happiest and most independent being in existence. 

After my friend St. Argu and myself had accomplished our 
business at Penuela, we mounted our horses towards evening 
to return to the port of Tayabo. The weather was extremely 
soft and fine, and in company with troops of country people, all 
in their holiday dresses, we had a very pleasant ride back to 
the port. I brought down to this island from St. Thomas, two 
thousand nine hundred dollars in gold and silver, to purchase 
a cargo of corn, live cattle, coffee, &c, and as I had now ob- 
tained permission to take on board the produce of the country, 
I commenced loading the schooner with corn and the before- 
mentioned articles ; and while my brothers were receiving and 
stowing away the cargo, St. Argu and myself rode about the 
country and purchased the cattle, with an agreement to have 
them delivered at Ponce, on a given day ready to go on board. 
17 



258 VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

Thus after taking in a considerable portion of the cargo we^got 
the schooner under way, and returned to Ponce on the 28th of 
December. At this period, 1816, there was but a very small 
portion of the lands cultivated in the neighborhood of Ponce 
and Tayabo, and for miles along this side of the island, these 
rich lands were lying almost entirely waste. Such parts of 
them as were inclosed, were occupied by small farmers in the 
rearing of cattle and horses ; the most of them, however, culti- 
vated plantain trees, and small patches of coffee and tobacco, 
but there were no sugar plantations in this region wortli nam- 
ing. Some of the small planters raised a little sugar-cane for 
their own use ; they generally boiled the juice into syrup and 
molasses, and sometimes made a little chaneaca or half-boiled 
sugar for home consumption, and this was about the amount of 
the products of the sugar-cane in this part of Porto Rico, at this 
period of its history. 

The day we left Tayabo, the mate, my brother James Cogge- 
shall, was taken ill with a high fever. I gave him medicine, 
and attended him to the best of my abilities, and on our arrival 
at the port of Ponce, sent up to the town for a physician. The 
town is about four miles from the port, and the doctor did not 
come on board the schooner until the next day, in the mean 
time my brother grew worse and worse, and could obtain no re- 
lief from his severe sufferings. 

When the doctor came, he frankly told me that nothing could 
be done for him, and at the same time inquired whether he was 
a Christian, meaning, I suppose, a Roman Catholic. I replied 
that he was a good young man, and I had no doubt he was a 
Christian. He then said, " You had better send for a priest to 
confess him before it is too late," adding, that persons attacked 
with fevers of this kind, generally died in about seven or eight 
days after they were taken ill, which in this case certainly 
proved true. I thanked him for his candor and politeness, told 
him I wanted no confessor, and if he could render my poor 
brother no assistance, it was unnecessary to discuss the subject 
any further. 

At the end of this conversation the learned doctor devoutly 
crossed himself, which in manner seemed to say, " Oh ! God, I 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IKIS. 259 

pray thee to deliver me from these unbelieving heretics." And 
here I would emphatically observe to all men of every class and 
creed, let us beware how we condemn one another for our re- 
ligious faith. I had been reared a Protestant, with strong feel- 
ings of opposition to confession, and Roman Catholic ceremonies, 
deeming them all a perfect mockery. On the contrary, the 
doctor from his earliest recollection had been taught to believe 
that confession, church forms and Catholic faith, were vitally 
essential to the salvation of the soul : and now, I say, who shall 
judge, provided we were equally sincere in our opinions, which 
of us pursued the will of our Heavenly Father. Then let us not 
condemn one another in these matters of religious faith, but 
leave it in the hands of Him, who weighs the motives and 
actions of men in a balance, to decide the grand question. 

By these observations I do not mean that we should not 
judge of systems, and decide upon just and enlightened princi- 
ples, such as are clearly laid down in the New Testament ; but 
to condemn and denounce the religious faith of an individual, is 
virtually saj'ing, I am right and you are wrong. A man, whom- 
soever he may be, who has no religious faith, is like a ship on 
the wide ocean without a rudder ; St. Paul says, such an one is 
tossed to and fro, and is carried about by every wind of doc- 
trine. I therefore conclude that any religion is far better than 
none, even if that faith be tinctured with superstition, for it cer- 
tainly is true that the skeptic or infidel is always groping about 
in doubt and darkness, and has no resting-place or anchor for 
his soul. 

My poor brother continued to decline until Saturday, January 
4th, when he expired. As I had not complied with the injunc- 
tion' of the doctor to go through the ceremony of confession to a 
dying man, according to the customary usage of the country at 
this period, my poor brother was not entitled to what they 
termed the rites of Christian burial, and this sad and solemn 
duty therefore devolved upon my brother Charles and myself. 
We accordingly had a coffin made on board, and on the follow- 
ing day in the afternoon, with our own crew took the body to a 
small, uninhabited island, about two miles from the main land 
of Porto Rico, and there interred the remains of this worthy, 



260 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

brave and ingenuous young man. To prevent them from being 
disturbed or desecrated, I left no trace of a grave, but levelled 
the ground so that the spot where his remains repose, should not 
attract the idle curiosity of those who should hereafter visit this 
lonely island ; 

AND HElfiE MAT HIS ASHES REST IN PEACE. 

We continued to purchase and take on board, corn and other 
articles from day to day, and generally without any dispute or 
difficulty. It however happened that a ferocious, savage-look- 
ing mulatto fellow had brought several horse-loads of corn from 
time to time, and often of an inferior quality. I remonstrated 
with him, and frankly told him that if he again brought poor 
corn and small ears, I would not receive them ; that I wanted a 
fair quality of merchantable corn and ears of the usual size and 
nothing more : and thus clearly warned him not to bring any 
more like the last. This notice, however, had not the desired 
effect, for the very next day the fellow came with two horses 
loaded with corn, even of a worse quality than I had before 
received. My vessel was lying at anchor in the small bay, 
about five hundred feet from the beach, and no one but myself 
on shore. 

There was a shop or two at the landing-place, the general 
resort of those engaged in the commerce of the port. I was 
alone and without arms of any kind, not even a stick to defend 
myself, when this vile wretch began to unload and count the 
corn, and at the same time called on me to receive it. I told 
him to stop, that I would not take it ; when he flew into a vio- 
lent rage, foamed at the mouth like a mad dog, and at the same 
moment drew a large knife, thrust the point against my breast, 
and swore that he would instantly kill me if I did not receive 
the corn ; and with threatening gestures said, there was no more 
harm in killing a vile heretic like me, than in killing a dog. I 
retreated backwards towards the warehouse, fearing, that if I 
ceased to face him, he would stab me in the back ; hoping at 
the same time that the three poor devils at the shop-door would 
take my part, and prevent the scoundrel from assassinating me 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 261 

on the spot, but this was not the case ; these poor creatures ap- 
peared afraid to utter a single word to appease the anger of this 
cowardly villain. Fortunately my brother was on the lookout 
with a spyglass, and fearing something was the matter, armed 
himself and three of our crew and came immediately to the 
rescue. They rushed upon the fellow and made him a prisoner 
before he was aware of it ; he threw down his knife and machete 
and offered to beg my pardon in a spaniel-like manner. As I 
was a stranger in a strange land, I did not think it proper to 
take the law into my own hands, and concluded to go forthwith 
to the Alcalde at Ponce. I therefore directed my brother to 
keep him in custody, until I gave him up to the public author- 
ities. 

I accordingly mounted my horse, rode as fast as possible to 
the man in authority, and told him the whole story, when he 
coldly replied, that if I wished it he would put the fellow in 
jail, but he would not advise me to do so. He said the laws 
would only confine him for a day or two, and that after he was 
released from prison, he and his friends would probably waylay 
and assassinate me the first opportunity. I exclaimed, " If such 
is the state of your laws and the way in which they are exe- 
cuted, the sooner I leave the country the better ! " and thus 1 
was obliged to take the advice of the magistrate, and pocket the 
insult I had so shamefully received. All over this island as well 
as in old Spain, whenever a person is murdered, a number of 
stones are thrown together on the spot where the victim fell, 
and a wooden cross is then erected in the centre of the heap to 
mark the place of the assassination. When travelling about 
the island, I frequently saw along the roadside these disgraceful 
memorials of assassination and Catholic superstition, and could 
not help feeling that this fine island ought of right to belong to 
a better race of men. I find nothing more in my journal worth 
recording during the remainder of my stay in Porto Rico. My 
cargo consisted of the following articles : twenty-seven head of 
cattle ; four horses ; one hundred and twenty-six thousand ears 
of Indian corn ; thirty barrels of shelled corn ; eleven tons of 
lignum vitse ; four thousand pounds of coffee ; and sundry other 
small articles. 



262 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

The prices of the different articles were as follows : The 
average price of the cattle was twenty-nine dollars per head ; of 
the corn fifty cents the hundred ears ; the shelled corn one dol- 
lar per bushel ; for the wood I paid eight dollars per ton ; and 
for the coffee about ten cents per pound. After getting our 
cargo all on board, we cleared out and sailed from Ponce on the 
10th of January, bound for St. Martin's. As 1 intend to return 
to this island and travel over its whole length and breadth, at 
present it only remains for me to make a few general observa- 
tions with respect to its location, and its probable increasing- 
importance to the commercial world. For it is not in the nature 
of things, or in keeping with the natural progress of the age in 
which we live, to believe that the rich and fertile lands on this 
fine island should be allowed to lie many years unoccupied or 
unproductive, except indeed Old Spain should adopt the Japan 
policy towards this colony, and absolutely exclude and prohibit 
the inhabitants of other countries from coming here. On the 
contrary, should strangers be allowed to purchase lands and be 
protected here in their persons and property, they will bring 
their enterprise and industrious habits with them, and soon give 
an impetus to all those who at present merely vegetate on this 
delightful island. Porto Pico, as all the world knows, is a 
colony of Spain, and lies between 17° 55' and 18° 3CK N. lati- 
tude, and between 65° 40' and 67° 20' W. longitude. It lies 
nearly east and west, is about one hundred miles long, and thirty- 
five or forty broad. It has a high chain of mountains running 
through the centre of the island, though not through its entire 
length ; it being flattened at each end for several miles ; and 
although the mountains are high and rugged, there are oc- 
casional gaps and ravines in the chain, through which men pass 
on horses and mules. But as I hope to see more of the island 
on my second visit, I will proceed on my voyage up to St. 
Martin's. 

After leaving Ponce we continued to beat up along the 
south side of Porto Eico, keeping a wide offing during the day 
to profit by the fresh N. E. trade winds, while at night we kept 
close in shore to take advantage of the land breezes which 
generally prevail through the night. Thus at the end of five 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 263 

days we got up to the west end of St. Croix, where we procured 
a fresh supply of water and grass, which occupied one day ; 
when we again proceeded on our way towards Great Bay, St. 
Martin's, and after a dead beat of four days arrived at our 
destined place on the 19th of January, nine days from Porto 
Rico. Here I sold my cattle and corn at pretty fair prices to 
the planters, but agreed to receive the pay for my cargo in 
sugar at $8£ per cwt. at the ingathering of the crop, which 
would be on or about the first of March. The corn I sold at 
one dollar and three-quarters per hundred ears, the shelled corn 
at two dollars and a half per bushel, and the cattle at about 
seventy-five per cent, profit on the prime cost. These prices 
appear high, but when it is taken into consideration that these 
articles were sold to above forty planters, payable in new sugar 
at nearly one dollar per hundred above the cash price, it is not 
a great profit. The delay one meets with in getting the sugar 
from so great a number of planters is tedious and expensive, as 
in the sequel it proved to be. I lost no time in landing the 
cattle and corn, and getting the Iris ready for sea. I retained 
on board the eleven tons of lignum vitas, and the thirty-four 
bags of coffee which I had purchased in Porto Rico ; and after 
having bought six barrels and one hogshead of sugar and ship- 
ped them on board, also a quantity of stone ballast, I dispatched 
the Iris for Charleston, under the command of my brother, 
Charles Coggeshall. 

He left this place on the first of February, with directions 
to address himself to Mr. John Marshall, a merchant at Charles- 
ton, S. C, and desire him to procure a return cargo as soon 
as possible, and draw on my friend in New York for the amount. 
I also requested him to leave the wood, coffee and sugar in the 
hands of Mr. M., to sell for my account, and by no means wait 
to have these articles sold, which would necessarily cause con- 
siderable delay, but to lose no time in returning directly to St. 
Bartholomew, where I would meet him on his return, and that 
I should expect to see him back again in about forty clays. I 
remained at St. Martin's until the 25th of February, when I 
appointed F. H. A. Van Rhyne, Esq., my agent to collect the 
sugars due me from the planters, and have them ready to go on 



264 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

board as soon as my vessel should return from Charleston ; -and 
also to receive the other small debts due me in money. These 
small islands are pleasant and agreeable for a stranger to visit 
for a week or two, but after that period they become very tire- 
some. The planters, it is true, are hospitable and polite, but 
almost every subject is of a local nature, and after hearing the 
history of the principal families, and the quantity of sugar made 
on the different estates, there is nothing more to learn, and for 
the want of fresh news and daily excitement, as is the case in 
large cities, one is compelled to hear all the little gossip of the 
whole community. I recollect dining frequently with a good 
old gentleman by the name of Hodge, who was born and bred 
on the island and had never left it. He was kind and generous, 
aud appeared happy to have strangers partake of his hospitality. 
He was acquainted with every body, and knew the pedigree of 
every family. Of course, his recitals were pleasant and amusing 
for a while ; but after this stock of local information was ex- 
hausted, his visitors were entertained with the same stories 
again and again, so that in the course of a few weeks I became 
quite familiar with the history of every family on the island. 

The Island of St. Martin's lies in lat. 18°' 4' K, long. 63° 5' 
W. The northern portion of it belongs to France, and the 
southern to Holland. It is one of the group of the Virgin Gor- 
das, about twenty-five or thirty miles long and twelve or fifteen 
broad, of a moderate height and generally healthy. Its princi- 
pal productions are sugar, rum and molasses. On the Dutch 
portion of the island are several salt ponds, which formerly pro- 
duced large quantities of salt, but for many years past have 
yielded little or none, in consequence of the ponds having been 
flooded by the sea. They rear a few cattle, and raise a suffi- 
cient quantity of yams, sweet potatoes and other vegetables for 
their own supply. The whole island contains about seven 
thousand inhabitants, two hundred of whom are white, and the 
remainder mulattoes and negroes. The general language is 
Dutch and Creole English ; some French is spoken in the 
French part of the island. 

While here, I was told by several old persons that the great 
earthquake which occurred, in Lisbon on the first of Nov. 1755, 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 265 

and destroyed a great portion of that city, was severely felt in 
this island, and that the water in Great Bay, Phillipsburg, re- 
ceded for a few seconds, and left the bottom of the bay quite 
bare, when it suddenly returned, with a tremendous rush, to its 
usual depth. From St. Martin's may be seen St. Bartholomew, 
Anguilla, and several other small islands. They are all well 
supplied with fish, which are generally of an excellent quality. 
Here they are abundant and cheap. 

On the 25th of February I left St. Martin's in one of the 
packet-boats for St. Bartholomew, and in about six or eight 
hours beat up and got safe into St. Barts. These sail-boats ply 
daily between the two islands, and can only take four or six 
passengers ; they have no decks, but (though wet and uncom- 
fortable) still are pretty safe ; being manned by skilful boatmen, 
it rarely happens that any serious accident occurs. I had made 
a voyage to this island in the year 1809, and was well acquaint- 
ed with all the principal commercial men in the place. The 
most wealthy and influential merchant here was Mr. William 
Cock, an Englishman by birth, and whom I ever found to be a 
worthy, good man. This gentleman was my consignee when I 
was here in the brig Henry and Isabella in 1809, and I again 
employed him to assist me in my business. 

As I was now waiting the arrival of my schooner from 
Charleston, I had much leisure to walk about this rocky island, 
which is merely a commercial depot, growing out of its neutral 
character. It is a colony of Sweden, lying in lat. 17° 56' K., 
long. 62° 50' W. It is about twenty-five miles long and ten or 
twelve broad ; has a good harbor on its western end, and is a 
great stopping-place for trading vessels. During the late war 
between England and France, it was a place of considerable 
commerce. The island is mountainous, and without fresh water, 
except that which is poor and brackish may be procured for 
cattle ; but all that is required for drinking purposes, and for 
the shipping, is supplied by rain preserved in cisterns, which 
generally sells at from two to eight dollars the puncheon, and 
even higher in a dry season. The price therefore depends en- 
tirely on the quantity of rain that falls ; sometimes they have 
an abundance, at others it is extremely scarce. There are a 



266 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

few sugar plantations on the island, but on a very small scale. 
They cultivate a few yams and other vegetables, bat I should 
think there was not one quarter part of the necessaries of life 
produced here for the support of the inhabitants, who number 
about eight or ten thousand, of whom two-thirds are mulattoes 
and negroes. In short, the greater portion of the people are 
supported by commerce carried on with foreign ships, and to 
the neighboring islands. It is generally healthy on this island, 
but very uninteresting to a stranger after the first week. The 
roads are extremely rough and unfit for carriages, and the only 
exercise one can take is on foot or on horseback ; and there are 
so few roads, that when a person leaves the town to go into the 
country, he is obliged to return by the same route. After 
having once been into the interior, and over to the eastern or 
windward part of the island, there is nothing more to be seen. 
In fine, I think the only way to render a residence on this rock 
supportable, is constant occupation. 

On the 20th of March, I was rejoiced to see my little 
schooner Iris heave in sight, on her return from Charleston, 
with a small assorted cargo of tobacco, flour, beef, hams and 
red oak staves. 

The whole invoice amounted to about two thousand dol- 
lars. My brother had thus accomplished the voyage from St.. 
Martin's to Charleston and back to this place, in forty-eight 
days. The tobacco and staves I sold here through Mr. Cock, 
at very good prices, and on the 1st of April left this place in 
the Iris, with my brother, and after a pleasant passage of three 
hours, came to anchor in Great Bay, St. Martin's. Here I 
sold the residue of the cargo of provisions brought out from 
Charleston, and commenced taking on board the sugars due me 
from about forty individuals, mostly planters residing on their 
estates on every part of the island. Although they had agreed 
that the sugars should be ready and delivered on the 1st of 
March, it was now the 5th of April, and I had but a small part 
of my cargo ready to go on board. I therefore found it neces- 
sary to ride from plantation to plantation, to collect and get 
ready my cargo. At length I received and put on board for 
my own account as follows : fifty hogsheads of Muscovado su- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IBIS. 267 

gar ; one hundred and forty-nine barrels of do. ; three punch- 
eons of molasses, and three of rum. 

I had also on freight for Mr. William Cock, eight hogs- 
heads of sugar and a great number of dry hides. 

After getting ready for sea, we left St. Martin's on the 12th 
for New York. During our voyage home we generally had 
light winds and some calm weather, which prolonged our pas- 
sage to eighteen days. We arrived at New York on the 30th 
of April, 1817, and I am happy to add, I found my family and 
friends all well, after an absence of seven months and ten 
days. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS, TO TENERIFFE, ST. THOMAS AND THE 
HAVANA, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEARS 1818 AND 1819. 

PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

At this period I owned a stanch and burthensome schooner, 
called the Catherine, commanded by my brother Charles 
Coggeshall. On the 1st of October, I chartered this vessel to 
Senor Damaso Burdett, to proceed with an assorted cargo out to 
Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, for a round sum of fourteen hundred 
Spanish dollars ; in this agreement I retained for my own ac- 
count the privilege of all the cabin, which was large. I accord- 
ingly purchased sundry articles of merchandise and consigned 
them to my brother. Senor Burdett was a native of Teneriffe, 
and a friend of Peter Harmony, Esq., a Spanish gentleman and 
a well known merchant residing in New York. Though the 
charter was made by Mr. B., it was guaranteed by his friend, 
Mr. H. The cargo was composed of Indian corn, pine boards, 
whale oil, beeswax, candles, etc. The whole invoice amounted 
to six thousand four hundred dollars. Senor B. took passage in 
the Catherine. They sailed from New York for Teneriffe, on 
the 18th of October, 1818. 

Soon after I dispatched the Catherine, I concluded to make 
up a little adventure with my friends, Messrs. Lawrence and 
Betts, merchants at New York, and proceed forthwith to Tene- 
riffe, there meet my brother, and pursue our further operations 
according to circumstances, or as fortune should direct. The 
Iris was a good little vessel, of eighty tons burthen, and in sea- 
man's phrase, an excellent sea-boat. One half of this schooner 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 269 

belonged to my friends, Lawrence & Betts, and the other half 
to myself. "We agreed to load her for joint account, and that I 
should perform the voyage as captain and supercargo. "We 
forthwith purchased a suitable cargo, consisting of flour, Indian 
corn in bags, whale oil, soap, candles, etc., and in a few days 
got ready for sea. The whole invoice amounted to three thou- 
sand dollars. My wife was very much opposed to my going to 
sea in such a small vessel ; she enumerated the many hairbreadth 
escapes I had already experienced, and fervently entreated me 
to remain on shore, but said, if I persisted in going, she begged 
that I would allow her to go with me, that we might share the 
dangers and perils of the ocean together. At length it was de- 
cided that she should accompany me. 

I took with me as mate Mr. Edward Brown, a Scotchman by 
birth, but a resident of Milford. He was an excellent mate and 
a first-rate seaman. In the early part of my career, I had served 
under Mr. B. in the schooner Betsey and Polly, of New Haven ; 
in that vessel he was the chief and I the second mate. A better 
seaman than Mr. B. never trod a ship's deck. We sailed from 
New York on the 15th of October, passing through Long Island 
Sound, and out to sea by Montauk Point. We had a pretty good 
time off the coast for the first three or four days ; after that we 
experienced a strong S. E. gale and a high sea, which continued 
for about eighteen or twenty hours. Although the gale was 
very severe and the sea high and rough, the little schooner 
made very good weather of it, and rode over the billows like a 
gull on the top of every sea. It certainly was an alarming spec- 
tacle for my wife, who now for the first time, had ventured on 
the broad ocean. However, after the gale subsided we had 
pleasant weather for a few days, and Mrs. Coggeshall daily 
gained confidence in the safety of the vessel, and soon became 
reconciled to the temporary inconvenience of living in a small 
cabin. 

The novelty of the scene, although at times very terrific, 
had nevertheless its pleasures, and then the idea of visiting for- 
eign lands far away over the dark blue sea, was also a pleasing 
theme to dwell upon; and above all, there was a mysterious 
charm thrown over the anticipated pleasure of beholding the 



270 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER ERIS. 

snowy peak of Teneriffe towering far above the lofty clouds. 
I say these long cherished anticipations a thousand times out- 
weighed the inconvenience of now and then eating a cold din- 
ner, or a little rough tossing about with a high, head sea. And 
thus like the ordinary transactions of life everywhere, there are 
shades of light and darkness, sunshine and rain ; however, on 
one point I believe all agree, that there is no perfect bliss this 
side of the grave, nor ought we to expect it until we reach 
Heaven. And so it was with our passage out to Teneriffe, some- 
times fair and sometimes foul weather. And now to be candid 
and drop all metaphor, we had what seamen call a stormy, rough 
and tough passage of twenty-seven days, when we arrived at 
Santa Cruz, on the 14th of December. Here we saw the Cathe- 
rine lying at anchor, nearly ready to leave for New York. 

About ten days previous to our arrival, a schooner called the 
Express, put in here from Smyrna, laden with fruit. She be- 
longed to New York, and was owned by Mr. A. Leggett, mer- 
chant residing in that city. She was commanded by Captain 
Alexander Summers, was leaking badly, and so much in distress 
that the captain was afraid to leave the island, and after stand- 
ing off and on a day or two, got liberty from the Governor to 
tranship his cargo from the Express to the Catherine, upon 
condition that the two vessels should remain in quarantine, and 
have no communication with the shore. The quarantine laws 
here are extremely rigid with respect to vessels coming from the 
Mediterranean, and the moment they commenced transhipping 
the fruit, nothing could be landed from either of them. It so 
happened, however, that the Catherine had discharged her 
goods, and my brother had agreed with Captain Summers, to 
take his cargo, himself and the crew all to New York, for 
twelve hundred dollars. Captain S. was to furnish himself and 
his seamen with provisions. 

The Express was condemned as unsea worthy, and some days 
after being discharged, was driven on shore in a gale of wind, 
and soon went to pieces. I detained my brother two or three 
days to take out the money he had on board, and also to give 
as a little time to get our letters ready for home to forward by 
him, there being no other American vessel in port The Cathe- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 271 

rine sailed on the 17th of December from Santa Cruz, bound for 
New York. After one day's quarantine, we were allowed to go 
on shore, and as there were no good hotels or lodging-houses, I 
hired a house for my family, where we took up our abode. We 
found the living simple and cheap ; house rent in particular 
was extremely low. We hired a very large and convenient one 
for twelve dollars per month. 

The consignee of the Catherine, Sefior Burdett, kindly insist- 
ed on furnishing it from his mother's house, so that with what 
articles I brought on shore from the Iris, and some trifling things 
purchased here, we were soon comfortably established in our 
new home. Seiior Burdett was a bachelor, living with his moth- 
er and several sisters, all polite, agreeable people. 

Mr. B. and his sisters introduced us to several other re- 
spectable families, from whom we received many civilities : 
the kind hospitality and attentions shown us by these friendly 
and polite people, rendered our stay at Santa Cruz extremely 
pleasant. 

The ladies furnished my wife with suitable black veils and 
church costumes, so that she was enabled to visit all the princi- 
pal churches and convents, without being observed as a stran- 
ger. It is a universal custom among the Spaniards, for the 
ladies to dress in black, whenever they go to church. During 
our stay here, a little party was made up of ladies and gentle- 
men to spend a day at Laguna, a considerable town situated in 
the interior of the island, about two or three leagues from Santa 
Cruz. The roads are too rough to admit of carriages, so that 
riding on horseback and upon donkeys is the general mode of 
travelling on this island. Our party consisted of two or three 
ladies and about the same number of gentlemen ; each one rode 
a donkey, attended by a driver, with a large stick, to run on 
foot, beat and drive the animal, and attend to the wants of the 
gentleman or lady under his charge. While here, I was told 
that this class of men were exceedingly faithful and trustworthy ; 
and that when a gentleman resides in the country, and his wife 
or child wishes to go to town or a neighboring village, the most 
perfect confidence can be placed in one of these men, to attend 
to and take care of the person committed to his charge. 



272 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IBIS. 

Thus mounted, we started after breakfast for Laguna. -As 
it may be supposed, we travelled very slowly over the rough 
roads, but the weather was fine, and the company agreeable, so 
that in three or four hours after leaving Santa Cruz we got safe 
up to Laguna. In this ancient town there are three churches, 
two convents and several large and well-built houses ; I can 
hardly say with any degree of precision how many inhabitants 
it contains, but I should judge some two or three thousand. It 
appears very quiet, and its stillness would only suit persons 
fond of tranquillity and retirement. It is located on very high 
table-land, and presents a magnificent view of the lofty Peak, 
and other parts of this singular island. There is also a fine 
view of the broad ocean, which appears like a great map spread 
out at your feet ; even large ships in the offing appear on the 
broad expanse like little boats. We visited two of the nunne- 
ries, where I was amused at some of the questions asked and 
answered by the ladies ; for example, the abbess, who was verg- 
ing towards the yellow leaf, inquired of Mrs. C, whether she 
did not think a secluded life, shut up from all temptation and 
wicked contamination of the world, was more desirable than to 
live surrounded with indulgence of evil propensities, which had 
too often the effect to lead the mind and heart off from holy 
penitence and the high enjoyment of sincere devotion to God. 
My wife looked at me, and answered the lady, that she had 
made a solemn vow before God and man to be a faithful and 
devoted wife to her husband, and felt that death only could dis- 
solve the duty and the sacred vow she had made. The lady of 
the convent reflected for a moment or two, and then replied 
with great good sense and liberality, " You are right, young 
lady ; your duty is to live with your husband, and strive to 
make him happy. I also think I am right to live the life I 
have chosen, and hope we may hereafter meet in heaven." 
There were a number of other questions, mostly of this nature, 
asked and answered by the ladies, in the spirit of kindness, all 
of which I do not recollect, but I clearly remember they were 
of a religious character. We purchased a few artificial flowers 
and some other trifles, and parted with mutual good wishes for 
happiness both here and hereafter. After we had visited the 



VOYAGE JN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 273 

principal churches, and walked about the town, our little party 
partook of an excellent dinner, and was then ready to return to 
Santa Cruz. The gentlemen procured for each lady an elegant 
bouquet of roses, jessamine and orange flowers, and thus we 
left the old town of Laguna well pleased with our visit. As 
the road was descending and the declining day soft and fine, 
we returned pleasantly to our homes, without fatigue, at peace 
with ourselves and with all the world. 

I very much regretted that the season of the year would not 
'admit of our visiting the peak ; this can only be done at mid- 
summer — say in July or August — and even then it is attended 
with much severe labor and fatigue. I was told that several 
gentlemen, residing at Santa Cruz, had caused to be erected a 
small but comfortable house, as high up the mountain as a 
mule or donkey could ascend. It was sufficiently large to ac- 
commodate some six or eight persons for a night ; and whenever 
a party designed to visit the peak, provisions, mattresses, blan- 
kets, etc., etc., were provided, and sent up to the lodging-place 
the previous day. These preparations having been made, the 
party, well mounted on mules or donkeys, start from Santa 
Cruz after breakfast, and generally have a fatiguing day's ride, 
before they arrive at the mountain-house. There they remain 
all night, wrapped in cloaks and blankets, and early the next 
morning, after drinking freely of hot coffee, to fortify them 
against the cold, commence the difficult journey of clambering 
on foot up the rugged mountain — the peak of which is said, by 
scientific men, to be 12,172 English feet above the level of 
the sea. It is an exhausted volcano, with a broad and deep 
crater, which is not seen until you reach its summit. From 
this astounding height, I am told, the view is magnificent. 
The whole group of the Canary Islands, which are nine in 
number, is distinctly seen ; and it is even asserted that, on a 
clear day, Cape Bajador, on the coast of Africa, has been seen 
from the top of the peak, although at a distance of 135 
miles. 

Teneriffe and the Grand Canary are the two largest and 
most important islands of this group. Had God blessed them 
with good, safe harbors, they probably would have become, 
18 



274 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

long ere this period, of great importance to the world, in a 
commercial point of view ; but I am sorry to say, there is not a 
good, safe port in the whole of this Archipelago, with the excep- 
tion of Lanzarote, in which, I am told, there is a very good har- 
bor ; but as it produces but little for exportation, there is nothing 
to induce foreign ships to visit that island. From these islands, 
there are a great many small vessels employed in the fishing 
business. These craft proceed to the coast of Africa, and fish 
on the banks and shoals along the shore ; they take salt along 
with them, and preserve the fish in the hold of the vessel until 
they return to the islands. They represent the inhabitants 
along that part of the coast as being in a very barbarous state, 
and that it is dangerous to land. 

"While at Santa Cruz, I went on board one of these fishing- 
vessels, which had just returned from Africa, deeply laden with 
fish. They somewhat resembled the common cod, though 
much larger and whiter ; they are sold to all the inhabitants of 
the Canary Islands, and constitute an important part of their 
daily food, besides giving employment to a large number of 
men, who become hardy sailors, and if properly trained under 
able commanders, would make very efficient seamen. 

I sold the little cargo I brought here in the Iris, to Messrs. 
Little & Co., of Port Orotava, but deliverable here ; or perhaps 
I ought to say, I exchanged it for five hundred and twenty 
demijohns of brandy, free from all duties, inward and outward, 
which were to be put on board my schooner, at Orotava, at the 
sellers' expense. I also purchased from the same house six 
hundred more of the same quality, to be delivered on or before 
the first of January. For this brandy I paid seven dollars the 
demijohn — they generally contain from five to six gallons each, 
and are prepared expressly for the Havana market — being dis- 
tilled with an aromatic seed, somewhat like anise. The na- 
tives of these islands use this liquor as a cordial ; ?md when they 
remove to a foreign country, retain the same love for their 
native nectar ; and those who emigrate to the Island of Cuba 
will purchase it, let the price be ever so high. So it is with 
the Hollanders, who leave their native land for the Island of 
Java, in the East Indies. I am told they annually export from 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 275 

Amsterdam, to that island, numerous puncheons of hard-baked 
gingerbread, from a similar partiality for whatever comes from 
their Fatherland. 

The brandy I purchased here at seven dollars the demijohn, 
would scarcely sell at any price, except to the natives of these 
islands ; so that by their partiality, or prejudice, or by whatever 
name it may be called, many people are benefited by the 
trade, and it is therefore natural to presume that all parties are 
satisfied. 

We finished discharging our cargo on the 28th of December, 
took on board a little stone ballast, and sailed the next day for 
Port Orotava — which town is situated on the north shore of 
this island. 

We had a short passage round, and anchored in the after- 
noon of the 30th, directly opposite the town, close to the mouth 
of a boat-harbor, which is sometimes occupied by small vessels, 
in the summer season ; and when this is resorted to, they are 
secured by rings fastened to the rocks. The roadstead here is 
perhaps the worst in the world. There is no harbor on this 
side of the island ; and all the ships that visit this place are 
obliged to lie in this wild, open anchorage, in fifty or sixty 
fathoms of water, without any shelter, except from the south 
winds. The ships roll while lying here, more than when on 
the broad ocean ; and upon the least appearance of storms or 
gales are obliged to slip their cables, stand off to sea, and wait 
for good weather before they resume their anchorage. In 
many instances the captains prefer standing off and on, and 
taking in and out their cargoes while under easy sail. 

I took Mrs. Coggeshall on shore, where we were hospitably 
received by the family of one of the partners of the house of 
Messrs. Little & Co., successors to the firm of Messrs. Pasley, 
long known for their hospitality, and sterling integrity in all 
business matters. The weather being fine, we had sufficient 
time, before night, to walk all over this little town, which may, 
perhaps, contain four or five thousand inhabitants, and has in 
its vicinity several pleasant walks, and many highly-cultivated 
gardens. We lodged for the night with the family of our hos- 
pitable and polite consignee, Mr. Golway. This gentleman's 



276 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IEIS. 

wife and wife's sister were natives of Cadiz, in Old Spain, and 
were highly educated, agreeable people. 

I repaired on board the Iris early the next morning, Jan- 
uary 1st, leaving Mrs. Coggeshall on shore to enjoy the society 
of these very social and agreeable ladies. The weather was 
extremely fine, and soft as a summer's day ; there was no wind, 
the sea perfectly calm, and as smooth as a mirror. My 
consignee had the whole cargo put on board of two large 
lighters, and employed a sufficient number of men to take it in, 
and stow it all away before sunset. 

The stevedores here are very active, adroit men, and un- 
derstand their business perfectly. They had a large quantity 
of brushwood from the fir or pine trees prepared for dunnage ; 
and took on board and stowed away the whole 1120 demijohns 
of brandy, without breaking one. 

I provided all necessary stores, settled all our bills, embark- 
ed with Mrs. 0. before the sun went down, and was now ready 
for sea, bound for St. Thomas, and from thence to Havana. But 
before taking leave of this delightful island, I will make a few 
more remarks on the subject of the scenery and general appear- 
ance of this singular place. While lying at anchor in the port 
of Santa Cruz, I have gazed for hours with wonder and delight 
at the towering peak which is covered with snow for about 
nine months in the year. Like most other sublime objects, it 
never fatigues the eye nor wearies the mind — ever varying and 
still ever grand and beautiful. Sometimes, when the weather 
is perfectly clear, the whole mountain, even to the summit, is 
seen without the shadow of a cloud ; then again, the weather 
becomes thick, and no part of the mountain is visible ; wait 
perhaps a few minutes, and it clears away, when you behold 
the high, white sugar-loaf peak, towering far away above the 
clouds, and every other part of the stupendous mountain entirely 
hidden. And thus there is a never-ending variety that feasts 
the imagination and charms and enchains the beholder. 

I have often experienced a similar feeling while gazing on 
the Falls of Niagara ; the longer I continued, to look upon that 
stupendous cataract and heard its thundering roar, the more I 
admired this sublime object, and the greater was the intensity 



VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER IRIS. 277 

of feeling which it excited. It is, if possible, even more so with 
this high and lofty peak, which I have frequently seen while at 
sea, at a distance of ninety miles. The north side of Teneriffe 
has also its peculiar beauties. I had, previous to this voyage, 
twice visited this place, and had for several weeks in succession 
been lying at anchor, or standing off and on at Port Orotava ; 
still, I was never tired of gazing on the grand and beautiful 
scenery of this interesting island. Near the summit of the 
mountains, far above all vegetable life, you behold deep ravines, 
and rough, broken declivities, every thing appears cold, barren 
and dreary ; look again, a little lower down, and you observe 
stunted trees and shrubs ; then let the eye rest still lower, and 
you perceive large trees and considerable vegetation ; still 
further down the mountains, you see cultivation and the busy 
hand of man at work, beautifying the fields and gardens ; de- 
scend still nearer the sea, and you behold the orange groves, 
fig-trees and vineyards in full bearing, almost like a tropical 
climate. Here a man may choose a climate according to his 
own taste. Any one from the United States fond of moun- 
tain scenery, would be richly rewarded for his loss of time and 
expenditure of money, in visiting this island. 

After this long digression, I will again resume my narrative. 
The reader will observe that we finished lading our little 
schooner on the first day of the New Year, just as the sun was 
setting. "We barely had time to clear the decks, and get every 
thing in sea trim, when the scene changed from a state of smooth 
and peaceful tranquillity, to a rough, boisterous sea, and a strong 
gale of wind from the northward. We had only time enough 
to pass round the west end of the island, and get clear of the 
land, before it blew a severe gale. The ocean was soon lashed 
into a white foam ; but, thank Grod, the wind was fair, we had sea- 
room enough, and were thus enabled to run off on our course at 
a rapid rate ; and I hope were not ungrateful to Him who rules 
in love and mercy for the benefit of poor, short-sighted man, 
and regulates the universe in His own wisdom, to gladden the 
hearts of all those who put their trust in Him. 

We steered to the S. W. with the northern gale, which lasted 
for two days, when the wind moderated, and the weather be- 



278 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER IRIS. 

came warm and pleasant, so that in the course of a week we got 
into the 1ST. E. trades, and ran down to the westward, and day- 
after day had fair winds and fine weather, making daily from 
one hundred and sixty to two hundred miles, without any severe 
gales or storms, which seldom occur at this season of the year 
in this parallel of latitude on the Atlantic Ocean. On the 22d 
of January, at ten o'clock in the morning, we made St. Barthol- 
omew's, bearing west, eight leagues distant, twenty days from 
Teneriffe. We ran down along its south side, and in passing, 
saw several of the neighboring islands, namely, St. Eustatia, 
Saba, St. Kitts and St. Martin's ; we continued on our course all 
night, and arrived the next morning at St. Thomas. Here we 
replenished our water, got on board a fresh supply of sea stores, 
fruit, etc., and after remaining here three days, left for the 
Havana. 

We sailed out through Sail Rock Passage, and continued our 
westerly course, inclining to the northward, to get gradually in 
the parallel of the Hole-in-the-Wall, on the south side of the 
Island of Abaco. "We were favored with the regular 1ST. E. 
trades, and clear, pleasant weather, from the time we left port 
until we made the Hole-in-the-Wall, on the 3d of February, 
eight days from St. Thomas. 

We passed near this conspicuous landmark in the morning, 
and got fairly on the Great Bahama bank before night. We 
had generally light winds, and ran over the bank without meet- 
ing with any incident worth noticing. After a pleasant passage 
of twelve days from St. Thomas, we arrived at Havana. I 
landed with Mrs. C. on the 7th of February, and at the pressing 
request of my consignee, Senor Canes, we took up our abode at 
his^ house. The father of this family, and the head of the firm 
of Felipe A. Canes. & Co., was originally from old Spain ; he 
had been a resident of Cuba for many years, and married there. 
His wife was an agreeable, elderly lady, born in Cuba, of 
Spanish parents. They had several sons and daughters, and we 
found them polite, agreeable people. 

A few days after my arrival, I sold, through Messrs. Canes 
& Co., all my brandy on the wharf, at ten dollars and thirty 



VOYAGE IS THE SCHOONER IKIS. 279 

cents the demijohn, payable in cash on delivery, and we found 
but four demijohns broken in the whole cargo. 

This is an excellent harbor, very easy of access, and generally 
safe from all winds. It is deep and capacious enough to contain 
and accommodate twelve or fifteen hundred ships ; in fine, it is 
one of the best ports in the world, and its commerce very ex- 
tensive. It has a fine winter climate, and is generally healthy 
all the year round for the native inhabitants ; though in the 
spring and summer months it is often unhealthy for strangers. 
A great deal of wealth is concentrated here ; business is done 
on a large scale, and many of its merchants and planters have 
acquired considerable fortunes in a few years. It is the capital 
city of Cuba, and probably contains about 120,000 inhabitants. 
This city is too well known to require a description from me. 
I was so much occupied during my stay here that I had no op- 
portunity of visiting the interior of the island. Having disposed 
of my cargo, I purchased ninety hogsheads of molasses, and a 
few barrels of sugar ; the balance of my funds, say about six 
thousand Spanish dollars, I concluded to take home with me ; 
and after lying here twenty-one days, we sailed from this port 
on the first of March, bound for New York. 

During the first week out, we had light winds from the K. 
E. and fine weather, but on approaching the coast of the United 
States, met strong northerly gales with cold, unpleasant weather ; 
and after a long and disagreeable passage of twenty days, ar- 
rived at New York on the 20th of March. Mrs. Coggeshall 
soon left the city to visit her father and his family, in Con- 
necticut. I found my brother had returned here in the Cathe- 
rine, from Teneriffe, and had made a pretty good voyage. 

My good friends, Messrs. Lawrence & Betts, soon sold our 
little cargo of sugar and molasses, and as the Iris was too small 
for our future purposes, we disposed of her, and settled every 
thing to the entire satisfaction of all parties interested in this 
little commercial enterprise. We made a very profitable voy- 
age considering the small amount of capital employed. I had, 
previous to this period, and for many years afterwards, a great 
many commercial transactions with these worthy gentlemen, 
and ever found them kind, honest, just and liberal. To my 



280 VOYAGE m THE SCHOONER IBIS. 

long-tried and faithful friend, Jonathan Lawrence, Esq., I am 
indebted for much fatherly counsel, and kind, disinterested hos- 
pitality. For a series of years I thankfully enjoyed his warm 
and generous sympathy ; in fine, he was one of that class of men 
the Saviour called the "salt of the earth," and was very justly 
and truly beloved by all those who had the good fortune to be 
acquainted with him. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

VOYAGE IN THE U. S. BRIG ENTERPRISE, WITH CAPTAIN LAWRENCE 
KEARNEY, FROM NEW YORK TO OMOA, THENCE TO VERA CRUZ, IN THE 
SCHOONER RETRIEVE, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEAR 1819. 

I had recently returned to New York from a voyage to Teneriffe 
and Havana, in the schooner Iris, and had only been about three 
months with my family, when I was solicited by two of the In- 
surance Companies in New York, the Union and the National, 
to proceed with Captain Kearney, in pursuit of the schooner 
Retrieve. 

This vessel belonged to Peter Harmony, Esq. She was a 
pilot-boat built schooner, of one hundred and three tons burden, 
and was sent from New York to Cadiz, with a cargo adapted to 
that market, under the command of John Lewis. Here follows 
a list of the crew when she left New York, on the 1st of March, 
1819: 

J. Lester, Charles Palamo, alias Nicho- 

Thomas Yincent, las Palamo, 

"W. P. Turner, "William Loney, (cook, yellow 

Charles Scuyter, or black.) 

At Cadiz, this vessel was furnished with a cargo of merchan- 
dise, as follows : four hundred and fifty barrels of brandy, about 
one hundred bales of Spanish paper, a few boxes of saffron, 
sweet oil in jars, and a small quantity of silk goods, black cloaks 
and veils. She sailed from Cadiz on the 10th of April, bound 
for Vera Cruz. A week after leaving port, when in the neigh- 
borhood of the Canary Islands, the mate conspired with the 
crew to murder the captain, and run away with the vessel and 



282 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG ENTERPRISE. 

cargo. This was accomplished, and the first news Mr. Harmony 
had of his schooner, was by the way of the Havana, that the Re- 
trieve was lying in the little port of Omoa, and that the mate 
and a portion of the crew were confined in prison, by order of 
the Governor of that place. 

Upon receiving this information, Mr. Harmony abandoned 
the vessel and cargo to the insurance companies. The presidents 
and directors of these companies applied to the United States 
Government for a ship-of-war to proceed to Omoa, to recover 
the schooner Retrieve, her cargo and the crew. This request 
was promptly granted, and Captain Lawrence Kearney was ap- 
pointed to perform this service. The insurance companies made 
me their agent to act in concert with Captain Kearney, and pro- 
ceed with him in the brig Enterprise for that purpose. As a 
compensation for my services, they agreed to pay all my ex- 
penses, and allow me one thousand dollars. After all these pre- 
liminaries were settled, we sailed from New York on the 2d of 
June, bound for Omoa, in the Bay of Honduras. We had a 
good time off the coast, and in ten days after leaving Sandy 
Hook, got out to the Mona Passage, passing between the east 
end of St. Domingo, and the west end of Porto Rico. We ran 
down the south side of St. Domingo, and also down the south 
side of Jamaica. We found the trade winds for several days 
rather light in the neighborhood of these islands, but the weather 
was generally fine, and the time passed off agreeably. When we 
got down near Jamaica, the following painful accident occurred : 

One fine evening, just at twilight, one of the carpenter's 
mates was drawing water from the sea with a bucket to wash 
the decks, when he lost his balance, and slipped overboard from 
the gangway in the waist. There was but a light air at the 
time, and the brig was instantly brought up to the wind, and a 
boat lowered to save the man ; but all to no purpose. Captain 
Kearney made several tacks to windward, and probably passed 
over the same place where he fell overboard, and kept the boat 
out on the look-out until there was no doubt the poor fellow 
had sunk to rise no more. I understood ' that the person 
drowned was a very sober, good man. It is always a painful 
circumstance to lose a fellow-being in this untimely way. and 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG ENTERPRISE. 283 

naturally throws a melancholy gloom over the whole ship's 
company. 

Some days after this we made the Swan Islands. The} 7 " are 
two in number, of moderate height, and lie in latitude 17° 22' 
N., longitude 83° 57' W., directly in the track from Jamaica to 
the Bay of Honduras. It was about noon when we got down to 
them. The weather being fine, Captain K. brought the Enter- 
prise to anchor in ten fathoms of water, under the lee of the 
larger. "We then went on shore and explored them both ; the 
largest is about two miles long, and three quarters of a mile 
broad ; the smallest is perhaps one mile long and half a mile 
broad, with a bad reef running from one to the other. They 
are covered with small trees and bushes, are uninhabited and 
desolate. Here all kinds of sea birds lay and hatch without 
being disturbed by man, and we found them so tame and gentle, 
that we could almost knock them down with sticks. After re- 
maining on shore about two hours, we returned on board and 
made sail for the Island of Bonaca, which lies about W. S. "W. 
from Swan Islands, distant one hundred and ten miles. The 
next day we passed near Bonaca ; this is a pretty high island, 
covered with trees and bushes. From thence we sailed down 
along the south side of Kattan Island, which is moderately high, 
and about twenty -five or thirty miles long. "We continued our 
course down the bay, until we arrived at the port of'Omoa, 
where we came to anchor on the 27th of June, after a pleasant 
passage of twenty-four days. 

Captain Kearney sent one of his lieutenants on shore with 
an offer to salute the castle, and when these preliminaries were 
arranged, a handsome salute was fired by the Enterprise. The "' 
officer of the fort, with the best intentions no doubt, attempted 
to return it, but owing to their unskilful gunnery, they made 
wild and awkward work of it. They probably took the Enter- 
prise for a Carthaginian brig-of-war, and as Omoa, at that time, 
was a colony of Spain, they had all their guns loaded, but in 
their hurry and confusion were unable to draw the shot from 
them, so that on returning our salute their grape and round shot 
flew all over the harbor. Fortunately no mischief was done, 
and as Capt. Kearney was convinced that there was no want of 



284 VOYAGE m THE BBIG- ENTEKPKISE. 

respect on the part of the commander of the fort, and that no 
evil was intended, he very wisely overlooked their agitation and 
ignorance. 

We saw the Retrieve lying at anchor alone in this snug little 
harbor, and not another ship or vessel in the port except our- 
selves. Captain Kearney and myself soon repaired on shore 
and waited on the Governor ; we showed him our credentials 
and authority to recover the Retrieve, cargo and crew, and soon 
explained every thing to his satisfaction. He was a native of 
Old Spain, and a fine, gentlemanly man. He said he had no 
doubt that we were fully authorized to take charge of the prop- 
erty and sailors in prison belonging to the vessel, still he was 
fearful that if he gave up the schooner and men without first 
writing to the Captain General at Guatimala, for his permission, 
he might implicate himself. The distance from this place to the 
capital is about four hundred miles, and to wait the answer of 
the Chief of the Province, would probably occupy about fifteen 
or twenty days. The Governor, however, was an obliging, good 
man, and when we stated to him the necessity of dispatch, and 
that it would be impossible for the Enterprise to remain long in 
this sultry climate with so many persons on board, he consented 
to take the responsibility of displeasing the Commander-in-Chief 
at Guatimala, and kindly gave up the prisoners and property 
forthwith. Captain K. immediately supplied me with car- 
penters, calkers, riggers and sailmakers, so that in the course of 
a few days we had the schooner calked throughout, the sails re- 
paired and bent, and every thing ready to take in the cargo, 
which was stored in the town of Omoa, about a mile distant 
from the port. Captain K., with the consent of the Governor, 
had the two remaining prisoners removed from the Castle to 4he 
Enterprise, and there in the presence of the Governor and his 
principal officers, was held a court of inquiry on the mate and 
the rascally sailor, who turned evidence in favor of the State. 

The substance of their story was as follows : — that they were 
six in number exclusive of the captain ; that before leaving 
Cadiz, the mate and crew had embezzled a few barrels of brandy 
and some other trifling articles, which they sold while Captain 
Lewis was on shore, and divided the money among them ; that 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG ENTERPRISE. 285 

after getting to sea, the mate said they would, on their arrival 
at Vera Cruz, be detected and punished for what they had 
done ; therefore if they would join him to throw Captain L. 
overboard, he would navigate the schooner to some port in the 
Bay of Honduras, where they would sell the vessel and cargo, 
divide the amount in silver and gold, and thus escape without 
detection. 

Having agreed upon the plan to be adopted, about a week 
after leaving Cadiz, when in the neighborhood of Palma, one of 
the Canaries, about seven o'clock in the evening, the steward, 
who was also the cook, called Captain Lewis and the mate to 
tea. He went below, and sent the steward on deck to request 
the mate to come into the cabin and get his supper ; he replied 
that he wanted none, and ordered the steward to bring him a 
pitcher of water. The steward obeyed the order, when he took 
the pitcher and dashed it on deck with great violence, over the 
captain's head, who came immediately on deck to know the 
reason why Mr. Brown had broken the pitcher, when the mate 
drew a boat's tiller from beneath his pea-jacket, and struck the 
captain a violent blow on the side of the head, so that he fell 
bleeding and prostrate on the quarter-deck. The mate then 
called aloud for the crew to come aft, and " throw the old rascal 
overboard ;" they all obeyed except the steward, who was be- 
low at the time, and took no part in the murder ; the mate and 
every one of the crew then laid hold of the captain and threw 
him overboard. They all put their hands upon him when per- 
forming this act, that they should all be equally culpable. The 
wind was light at this time, and the schooner only going at the 
rate of three or four miles the hour. "When he was thrown into 
the water he revived, and begged them for God's sake to spare 
his life, and said he would forgive them even then, if they 
would take him on board ; but they were deaf to his entreaties, 
and steered directly on their course. 

After this cruel and inhuman act, the mate called all hands 
into the cabin, got a Bible, and they all swore never to reveal 
the secret of the murder. It was agreed that Mr. Brown should 
personate the captain ; assume his name, and wear his clothes ; 
and for fear of detection, a consultation was held as to what they 



286 VOYAGE IN THE BEIG ENTEEPEISE. 

had better do with the steward. As this man had no hand in 
the murder, they feared he might betray them. At length it 
was decided to spare his life, but to swear him to keep the 
secret, and one and all swore to kill him should he ever betray 
them. When these arrangements were finished, they all drank 
freely of brandy to sustain their courage, sailed down through 
the "West India Islands and into the Bay of Honduras, always 
drinking brandy like water, and now and then quarrelling 
among themselves. After getting into the Bay of Honduras 
they ran off the town of Truxillo, but could not agree among 
themselves about going into the harbor; some were for and 
some against going into port ; at length they stood out and ran 
down the bay. That night they drank so freely that some of 
them imagined they saw the captain's ghost. They were terri- 
bly frightened, and thought they never could be happy until 
they divulged the awful secret. However they came to anchor 
at Omoa ; and here the narrative was continued by the inhabit- 
ants of this place. The mate (Brown), dressed in the clothes of 
the late captain, and taking his name to correspond with the 
schooner's papers, waited on the Governor, and stated that they 
were from Cadiz, bound to Yera Cruz, but as the schooner 
leaked badly, and they were otherwise in distress for sails, rig- 
ging, water and provisions, he had put into this port to repair 
damages, and get supplies sufficient to proceed on his voyage, 
and requested the Governor would give him permission to dis- 
pose of part of his cargo to pay for the necessary repairs, pro- 
visions, etc. There being at this time no suspicion of any thing 
wrong against the mate and crew, he readily gave the supposed 
Captain Lewis permission to dispose of a part of the cargo to 
pay his expenses. The fictitious captain then sold about twenty 
barrels of brandy, and several jars of sweet oil at low prices, 
and was paid in doubloons. When he returned on board with 
the gold, the crew being heated with brandy, demanded a fair 
and equal distribution of the amount received. The self-made 
captain, on the contrary, gave to one a doubloon, and to another 
eight or ten dollars, and endeavored to enforce' obedience to his 
orders, until from a quarrel it proceeded to an open fight. 
There were at this time several negroes working on board who 



VOYAGE IN THE BEIG ENTEKPEISE. 287 

understood English, and heard them call Mr. B. a d — d rascal, 
and no more a captain than themselves. Towards night one of 
the crew, I believe he was a Swede, named Nicholas Palamo, 
went on shore and acquainted the Governor with the whole story. 

He then sent for the negroes, and examined them also on the 
subject; their statement so far corresponded with the sailor's, 
that he decided the next morning to confine them all in the Cas- 
tle ; but during the night, three of them stole the schooner's 
boat, and were off for Balize, an English port, at the bottom of 
the Bay of Honduras, and thus escaped punishment. The next 
morning the Governor took Brown, the steward, and the sailor 
who had informed against the mate, and put them all into the 
Castle as prisoners, and kept them in close confinement. He 
then had the schooner discharged, the cargo safely stored in the 
town of Omoa, and laid her up. He also wrote to the Governor 
of Havana, to advise the owner of the Retrieve of the steps he 
had taken ; and from the first to the last, acted like a just and 
honest man. The poor steward died a few weeks previous to 
our arrival. The other two scoundrels we found in prison. 
They were sent on board the Enterprise to be transported to New 
York, and there to undergo a fair trial. I saw, and converse d 
several times with the mate, who said his name was Brown. He 
was a young man, say about twenty-five years of age, rather 
small in stature, of a light brown complexion, and appeared very 
humble and penitent, was constantly reading his Bible, and la- 
menting his unhappy situation. In the course of our conversa- 
tion, he said he hoped the punishment of death would be com- 
muted for the State Prison. The other man, Nicholas Palamo, 
was a hardened, impudent-looking rascal, with the mark of vil- 
lain stamped on every line of his countenance. In the case of 
this fellow, the old proverb was literally verified, that, " the 
greatest rogue always turns state's evidence." 

In the course of a few days, we had so far repaired the 
schooner, as to put on board all the cargo that had been stored 
here by the Governor. What remained was three hundred and 
eighty barrels of brandy, eighty one bales of paper, two boxes 
of saffron, nineteen jars of sweet oil, and twenty black silk cloaks 
and veils. 



288 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG ENTERPRISE. 

After getting ready for sea, Captain Kearney supplied me 
with all necessary stores, with a mate and four men as a crew 
for the Retrieve. We agreed to beat out of the bay together, 
and keep company until we got off Cape Catoche, when we 
were to separate, he to proceed to ISTew York with the prisoners, 
and I with the Retrieve and cargo to Vera Cruz. But before 
leaving Omoa, I will make a few remarks on that place. It 
lies in lat. 15° 47' K, long. 81° V W. The harbor is formed by 
a little bay, with a low, sandy point, stretching out about half a 
mile to the north, covered with mangrove trees and bushes, 
which make a good shelter from the northern gales. The fort, 
or castle, stands at the head of the bay, near which is the best 
anchorage. As you approach the shore it shallows, and you 
may choose your own depth, say from sixteen to four, fathoms, 
soft, muddy bottom, and good holding ground ; in fine, it is a 
snug, safe harbor. The castle is large, and — like most other 
fortifications built by the Spaniards — solid stone mason work, 
and was formerly no doubt very strong, but now much neglected, 
and I should think could make but a feeble resistance against 
an enemy. "When this province belonged to old Spain, this 
castle was a sort of Botany Bay, to which they transported con- 
vict prisoners, but is now no longer used for that purpose, and 
has only a small garrison kept here to protect the little town 
of Omoa and its commerce. This town is located about a mile 
to the eastward of the landing-place at the castle. It is now an 
insignificant place, containing about two hundred indifferent 
houses, and perhaps twelve or fifteen hundred inhabitants, the 
greater part of whom are very poor. I regret I do not remem- 
ber the Governor's name ; he was, as I have before said, a 
worthy, gentlemanly man, and disposed to do justice to every 
one that came within his power. I think there are very few 
small places in any part of the world, where, if a vessel should 
enter under like circumstances with the Retrieve, that the 
property would have been as well preserved, and the men ta- 
ken up and brought to justice, as was the case with this vessel 
and her crew. I therefore repeat, that great credit is due to 
the old G-overnor. The inhabitants of Omoa, generally speak- 
ing, are a simple-hearted, honest people, and wish to do justice 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG ENTERPRISE. 289 

and deal honestly with all the foreigners who visit their place. 
The Governor was poor, and lived in homely style, but he gave 
us the best he had and made us welcome, and no one could ask 
more of this true-hearted, honest Spaniard, of the old Hidalgo 
school. 

After lying in this little port thirteen days, we sailed on the 
9th of July, 1819, and commenced beating up the Bay of Hon- 
duras, against the trade winds, which were generally at E. ]ST. E., 
and in three days after leaving the port of Omoa, beat up to the 
west end of Rattan Island, when we steered to the northward, 
and ran for the Passage, namely, between the west end of Cuba, 
and the east coast of Yucatan. This part of the distance we 
made in two days, and after sending my letters for home on board 
the Enterprise, and taking leave of my friend Capt. Kearney, 
we separated on the 14th of July, off Cape Catoche, the En- 
terprise bound for New York, and I in the Retrieve for Vera 
Cruz. 

During the time I was in company with the Enterprise, my 
crew behaved well ; but the very next day they broke through 
the bulkhead from the forecastle, got at the brandy in the hold, 
and all got drunk together. My mate proved to be a poor, in- 
efficient creature, and, in short, was good for nothing. I was 
therefore under the necessity of nailing up the forecastle, and 
compelling the men to live on deck until we arrived at Vera 
Cruz. In order to keep every thing straight and prevent mis- 
chief, I slept on deck also. This may appear like rigid precau- 
tion, but I am convinced that stern duty required it, and that 
there was no safety in trusting the men under deck. In making 
these remarks, I wish not to implicate or reflect upon Capt. K. 
for the bad conduct of these men ; on the contrary, he always 
rendered me every assistance in his power, and conld have had 
no idea that the men were such a set of vagabonds. "While on 
board a man-of-war, they were kept in a perfect state of disci- 
pline, but when this restraint was taken off, they would run into 
the lowest state of brutal intoxication. I do not say the men 
were mutinous or impudent, that was not the case ; on the con- 
trary they were obedient ; but the moment they could procure 
liquor, they became perfect beasts. "With a good, efficient mate, 

19 



290 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG ENTERPRISE. 

I could have got along with, less trouble. By constant watch- 
fulness and vigilance, however, I surmounted every difficulty, 
and came safe to anchor in the port of Yera Cruz, on the 22d 
of July, eight days after parting with the Enterprise. 

Here, agreeably to instructions from Peter Harmony, Esq., 
former owner of the Retrieve, I consigned both vessel and car- 
go to Don Francisco Antonio de la Sierra, merchant at this 
place. Some days after our arrival, the cargo was all landed 
and placed in the hands of the consignee. This gentleman dis- 
posed of it in the course of ten or fifteen days, and agreeably to 
his account, it netted only eleven thousand six hundred and 
thirty-five dollars. Senor de la Sierra complained that a great 
deal of the paper was badly damaged, and that some of the 
brandy had been reduced with water, which was the reason the 
cargo did not produce a greater amount. 

During my stay here, my sailors were almost always in- 
toxicated, three of them ran away and were replaced by others. 
I shipped a man who told me his name was Baker Smith. He 
said he was an Englishman, had been left sick in Yera Cruz, 
and unable to obtain any kind of employment. He was 
wretchedly clad, and begged so hard for a berth, that I agreed 
to take him, provided he would perform the duty of a steward. 
He readily promised to do so, and shipped in that capacity. 
He accordingly came on board, and behaved so well that I was 
delighted with him. By his efficient conduct and assiduity, he 
in a few days so gained my confidence, that one morning hav- 
ing occasion for the mate on shore, I left this man in charge of 
the cabin. During my absence he called a boat alongside and 
deserted the vessel, after having robbed me of three hundred 
Spanish dollars ; and from that day to the present time, I have 
never heard any thing further from Mr. Baker Smith. The 
conduct of this rascal reminds me of the ancient fable of the 
man who picked up a frozen viper and placed it in his bosom. 
The warmth of his body soon restored it to life, when it mor- 
tally stung its benefactor. * 

I will here relate an incident of one of the sailors who 
formerly belonged to the Enterprise, merely to show the super- 
stition of the most ignorant of that class of men. One evening 



VOYAGE IN THE BEIG ENTEEPEISE. 291 

I returned on board from Vera Cruz, when this sailor met me 
in the gangway. He was terribly alarmed, and absolutely 
trembling with fear. He said he was rejoiced I had come on 
board, that the murdered captain had just followed him all 
about the deck, and that the blood was streaming from his 
bruised head, and almost frightened him out of his senses. 
I could not persuade him that it was his diseased imagination, 
and that he saw nothing. I have often observed the power 
of superstition among sailors where supernatural objects seem 
presented to their credulous minds. Though this man shud- 
dered so with fear at the imaginary sight of a ghost, he prob- 
ably, if ordered, -would have marched to the cannon's mouth 
in open daylight. 

I finally picked up a motley crew ; some out of prison, and 
had to take such as I could find, without inquiring very closely 
into their characters. Fortunately I had two gentlemen pas- 
sengers ; Mr. James Brush, an Englishman, and Mr. ^John 
Ramsay, an American. They had been captains for several 
years in the Mexican army, had at length been taken by the 
Spaniards and sent as prisoners to Vera Cruz. Here they 
were set at liberty, and I gladly gave them a passage to New 
York. I took on board the Retrieve about $7,000, and left the 
balance due the owners of the schooner, say about $4,635, in 
the hands of Senor F. A. de la Sierra, to be remitted to Peter 
Harmony, Esq., by the way of the Havana, and after a great 
deal of trouble and difficulty, finally sailed from Vera Cruz, on 
the 20th of August, bound for New York. "We remained in 
this port a month. For several days we had light winds from 
the eastward, and a strong lee current running, so that we 
gained but very little distance. On the 29th, nine days out, we 
saw the Alacranes bearing about S. E., three or four leagues. 
These islands are four in number. They are composed of sand 
and are quite low, not much above the level of the sea, and 
very dangerous, being surrounded by shoals and sand-banks. 
From the 29th to the 31st, we still had a continuation of light 
winds from the E. E". E., and a strong westerly current ; of 
course, it w T as very difficult to get to the eastward. 

Before leaving Vera Cruz, I found it impossible to procure 



292 VOYAGE m THE BKIG ENTEKPKISE. 

good water puncheons, and was therefore obliged to take wine 
and brandy casks. As the weather was very warm, our water 
soon became extremely bad, would rope like molasses, and was, 
in fact, very offensive and unwholesome. This was a sore evil, 
and whenever we could catch a glass of rain water, it was a 
great luxury. 

On the 11th of September, thirteen days after passing the 
Alacranes, and being fairly out into the Bay of Mexico, we had 
light, variable winds and somewhat squally weather, when at 
about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, there were several water- 
spouts in sight. One of them was frightfully large, and ap- 
peared to be about a mile to windward. As it was moving 
down slowly upon us, I wore ship, and steered away from it ; 
but the wind being light, there seemed to be no way of escap- 
ing this astounding column of water, which appeared to be con- 
nected with an immensely large cloud. We closed every hatch- 
way and commenced firing musket balls into it, at the same 
time beating with axes on the anchors to make a jarring noise. 
It had approached to within two or three hundred yards of us, 
when there sprung up a light breeze, which enabled us to 
escape inevitable destruction. The column was several hun- 
dred feet high, and extremely large ; a few moments after pass- 
ing us it broke, and thus we were relieved from our perilous 
situation. Whether the firing of muskets and beating on the 
anchors occasioned it to break sooner than it otherwise would 
have done, I am not able to say ; but from what I saw of this 
water-spout, I am inclined to believe that ships may be de- 
stroyed by similar ones. 

Mr. Brush was very ill with the fever and ague, and we had 
no medicine on board. On the 15th I fell in with, and boarded 
the schooner Leo, of "New Providence, six days from Pensacola, 
bound home. From the captain of this vessel I purchased a 
barrel of flour, and he kindly gave us some salts, bark, etc., etc., 
for Mr. B., for which medicine he would receive no compensa- 
tion. He was a humane, kind man, and I regret that I do not 
recollect his name. 

For many days after this we had contrary winds, and our 
passage thus far, had been long and extremely disagreeable. 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG ENTERPRISE. 293 

On the 24th of September we got off the mouth of the Savan- 
nah River, and being short of provisions (having been out 
thirty-five days), I determined to put into port for supplies. 
Accordingly the next day, I ran into the mouth of the river, 
and anchored at Tybee Island, near the lighthouse. From this 
place I dispatched my boat to Savannah ; and after getting a 
necessary supply of sea-stores, we sailed the next day for New 
York. "We got safe to that city on the 3d of October, after a 
long and very disagreeable passage of forty-three days. I am 
happy to add*E found all my family and friends well. 

The Enterprise had a short run to New York, after we sepa- 
rated off Cape Catoche, and there the two mutineers were 
tried. The sailor, Nicholas Palamo, was allowed to testify for 
the State against the mate, Brown, who was found guilty, and 
sentenced to be hung on Friday the 22d of October, at the fore- 
yard of the schooner Retrieve, the same vessel on board of 
which he had committed the murder. On the day appointed, 
the Retrieve was anchored in the middle of the East River, be- 
tween New York and Brooklyn, and thousands from both 
shores witnessed the execution. 

The voyage in the Retrieve being now settled, I had the 
happiness of returning again to the bosom of my family. At 
this period I owned two vessels, the ketch Maria and the 
schooner Catherine, and as my sister was in very delicate 
health, I decided to employ them in the freighting business 
between Wilmington, N. C, and the West Indies, and take 
her with me to the first-named place to spend the winter, that 
she might have the benefit of a softer and more congenial cli- 
mate. I appointed Mr. David Hepburn to command the 
Maria. I have, in the early part of my narrative, noticed Mr. 
H., when he went cabin-boy with me in the brig Henry and 
Isabella, in the year 1809, and from that time to the day of his 
death, I never ceased to feel a lively interest in his welfare. 
The Maria was the first vessel he ever commanded, and even 
then he was a most efficient captain. He was for many years 
after this period employed as a captain and supercargo, and at 
different times commanded several of the finest ships belonging 
to New York, in the employment of Messrs. N. L. and G. 



294 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG ENTEKPKISE. 

G-riswold, in the East India trade. I am furthermore happy to 
give my testimony, not only to his abilities as an efficient ship- 
master, but to state that he was a person of fine talents, and a 
most excellent man, a true-hearted, kind friend, and every way 
worthy of the highest trust and confidence. 

Twenty-six years after Captain Hepburn resigned the com- 
mand of the Maria, namely, in June, 1845, he left New York as 
captain of the beautiful ship Cohota. She belonged to Messrs. 
1ST. L. and Gr. Griswold and was bound to Canton. On the 
31st of July at 10 o'clock in the morning, when off Rio Janeiro, 
Captain Hepburn was accidentally shot by a pistol in the hands 
of Mr. Yan Rensellaer, who was a passenger on board. The 
next day his remains were committed to the great deep. He 
was sincerely regretted by his family and friends, and all others 
who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. This sad catastrophe 
occurred thirty-eight days after leaving ISTew York, with every 
prospect of a prosperous voyage. The Cohota arrived at Can- 
ton on the 27th of September, after a passage of ninety-seven 
days, under the command of the chief officer. 

As these short "West India voyages can have very little in- 
terest for the general reader, I will pass them over, and com- 
mence another to the Bay of Honduras, in the sloop Yolusia. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

VOYAGE IX THE SLOOP VOLUSIA, FROM NEW YORK TO ST. JAGO DE CUBA 
AND OMOA, THENCE TO NEW ORLEANS, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, IN 

THE YEARS 1S20 AND 1321. 

I had recently returned from the Bay of Honduras, in the U. S. 
brig Enterprise, and during that voyage had made myself ac- 
quainted with the commerce of Truxillo and Omoa ; namely, 
their general wants, the amount of their imports and exports. 
I found that commerce in these places was transacted on a very 
small scale, and mostly confined to a retail business, still, when 
taken in the aggregate, it amounted to a considerable sum in 
the course of a year. I also learned that small sloops and 
schooners were better adapted to this trade than larger and 
more burthensome vessels. At this time I owned a large 
schooner, nanied Catherine, and as she was not adapted to the 
trade, I exchanged her for a sloop called the Volusia. Al- 
though this vessel was old and of small value, I concluded she 
would last for one winter in a mild climate. She was eighty- 
three tons per register, and required but few men. Soon after 
I came in possession of this vessel, I sold one half of her to 
Captain Nathan Gillet. We were natives of the same town in 
Connecticut, and had been acquainted from our earliest years. 
I knew Captain G. to be an honest man and a good seaman, 
and thought we should do very well together. We agreed to 
load the sloop for our joint account, and to have but one com- 
mon interest, he to act in the capacity of captain, and I as su- 
percargo. 

We accordingly loaded the Volusia with an assorted cargo, 
consisting of flour, beef, pork, chairs, hams, tobacco and sundry 



296 VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 

other things ; among others we took several perishable articles, 
such as apples and other fruits. The whole amount of our in- 
voice at sailing was $1,600. Our plan was to touch first at St. 
Jago, on the south side of Cuba, and there dispose of all our 
perishable articles, and such other goods as would sell at a large 
profit ; replace them with the produce of that island, and pro- 
ceed thence down to Omoa, and dispose of the remainder. "We 
accordingly loaded the sloop, and got ready for sea, with two 
mates, two seamen and a cook, who was also the steward. We 
sailed from New York on the 10th of December, 1820, bound 
for St. Jago, and had moderate breezes and fine weather during 
the first three or four days. We struck the Gulf Stream on the 
fourth day out, and found the temperature of the water from 
73° to 76° Fahrenheit, while that of the air was only 68°. 

The next day, December 15th, in lat. 36° 1ST., long. 70° 38' 
W., after getting to the southward of the Gulf, the temperature 
was only 68°. "We steered to the southward to make Turk's 
Island. The weather was generally good, and the winds 
moderate from the K E. and E. K E. On the 27th I took two 
good lunar observations of the sun and moon, and found, by the 
mean of the two, that we were in longitude 69° 4' W. 

The next day, at meridian, we made Turk's Island, bearing 
west twelve miles distant, which assured us of the correctness 
of our observations. We ran down under its lee, within three 
or four miles of the town, and saw a great many heaps of salt as 
we passed this famous salt isle. In another hour we passed 
near Sand Key, and sailed pleasantly through the passage with 
a fine !N~. E. trade wind. The next day, we saw the islands of 
St. Domingo and Cuba, and on the 30th of December, after a 
pleasant passage of nineteen days from New York, arrived at 
St. Jago de Cuba. 

At this, place I consigned my vessel to Messrs. Cartmel & 
Giraud. I had met with these gentlemen in St. Bartholomew, 
in 1809, and subsequently saw a great deal of them in [New 
York, and am now happy to have it in my power to speak of 
them as they deserve. If my feeble testimony can add in the 
smallest degree to an appreciation of their merit, it will give me 
heartfelt pleasure. I have seen a great deal of mankind in my 



VOYAGE W THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 297 

wanderings about the world, and found many kind and truly 
benevolent persons, but never have I met with more true hos- 
pitality and pure benevolence than was concentrated in these 
worthy men. They were full of talent and kind feeling. The 
first named gentleman was an Englishman, and the latter an 
American, and I with pleasure add that each was an honor to 
his respective country. Daniel Giraud, Esq., was the American 
consul, residing here, and was beloved and esteemed hy all 
classes of people. At a later period, I met him in Paris, soon 
after his return from a long tour up the Nile ; he read me his 
notes on those parts of Egypt which he had recently visited ; 
the different scenes and objects were graphically portrayed. I 
was particularly interested in his remarks on the great Pyramid 
of Cheops ; his was altogether the best and most vivid descrip- 
tion I have ever read of that everlasting monument of time. I 
advised him to have it published, for the benefit of those who 
have not had the pleasure of standing on its summit, or visiting 
that interesting country, so full of historical recollections ; but 
this he strenuously refused. My friend G. is one of that class 
of modest, unobtrusive men, who shrink from the public gaze, 
and whose self-respect and diffidence will not expose themselves 
to the gall and bitterness of merciless critics, or the coarse re- 
marks of those who cannot appreciate their high and honorable 
motives ; they therefore keep the rich productions of their minds 
and valuable information locked up from the world. 

The next day after our arrival, Messrs. Cartmel & Giraud 
sold a considerable portion of our cargo at high prices, and we 
had hauled alongside of the wharf to discharge what we had 
disposed of, when an order came from the Governor for us to 
leave the port forthwith, and adding further that Ave should not 
land a single article, for the alleged reason that we had brought 
no certificate from the Spanish Consul in New York, proving 
the cargo to be American property. This was a sad disappoint- 
ment to all our hopes and prospects, particularly as it respected 
the perishable part of the cargo, such as forty barrels of apples, 
and other articles subject soon to decay in a hot climate like 
this. I could have replaced these articles by other merchandise 
suitable to the Omoa market, at extremely low prices ; but this 



298 VOYAGE IN" THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 

I was not permitted to do, and as the Governor had the power 
in his own hands, we were forced to submit to our hard destiny, 
and suffer from the whim or caprice of a single individual. This 
may be law, but I think there is very little of the spirit of the 
gospel in such treatment as we received from this man. 

After lying here a week, and being put to considerable ex- 
pense, we were forced to leave the port without being able to 
land a single article of our cargo. Before leaving, I will make 
a few remarks on St. Jago de Cuba, or as this name means 
when translated into English, Saint James of the Cask or Pipe. 
This town contains twenty or thirty thousand inhabitants, of 
whom about one-third part are white, say 10,000, and the other 
two-thirds negroes and mulattoes. It lies in lat. 19° 58' N., 
long. 76° 0' W. It has a spacious port, very much like the 
Havana, except that at the entrance of St. Jago, the course is 
north, up the harbor, while at the Havana, it is south. So that 
in sailing up these harbors, the course is in directly opposite 
points of the compass. The entrance at its mouth, like that of 
the Havana, is narrow, but soon widens into a safe and perfectly 
well sheltered harbor, generally safe from all winds. The town 
is tolerably well built ; many of the houses are large and con- 
structed of stone, with broad streets. It lias a cathedral and 
several other churches. This city, however, is so hemmed in 
by high hills, that the fresh air does not circulate freely, and 
therefore renders the place very unhealthy duriug the rainy 
season, when the yellow fever rages frightfully, and is particu- 
larly destructive to foreigners. But with all these disad- 
vantages, it is a desirable place for trade, and the most impor- 
tant city on the island (with the exception of the Havana) in a 
commercial point of view. 

After having been detained here six days upon expense, we 
sailed on the 6th of January for the port of Omoa, in the Bay 
of Honduras. During the first day out, we had light, variable 
winds and rain. The next day it cleared up, when we had a 
light K. E. trade wind, and fine weather. We passed near the 
east end of Jamaica, and ran down the regular course for the 
island of Bonaca, which we made on the 10th, four days from 
St. Jago. From Bonaca we sailed down to the southward of 



VOTAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 299 

Rattan Island, and kept pretty close in with the mainland, 
which is generally high, except near the shore for .a few miles, 
when it rises until it becomes mountainous and well covered 
with large trees and bushes, with little or no appearance of cul- 
tivation. One can easily imagine that it now appears about the 
same as when first discovered by Columbus in 1502. Three 
days after passing Bonaca, we arrived at Oraoa, seven days 
from St. Jago de Cuba. On our arrival we found the whole 
community rejoicing at the cessation of terrible earthquakes 
which had continued for several weeks previous to this date, 
and had now subsided. The inhabitants had but recently re- 
turned to their houses, which had been left tenantless for a space 
of three weeks. Nearly all the people of Omoa had encamped 
in tents and bamboo houses out on an open plain in the vicinity 
of the town, being afraid to remain at their homes. Many of 
the buildings had been cracked and badly injured, and one 
merchant with whom I was acquainted, had some thirty or forty 
dozen bottles of wine and porter broken and destroyed by the 
late earthquakes, which were represented as very severe and 
awful in the extreme. Almost every body had something to re- 
late about the frightful "Tremblors de Tierra," and how much 
they had suffered not only by fear, but by the loss of property. 
"We soon commenced selling our little cargo ourselves, with- 
out the assistance of a merchant. In small places like Omoa, 
almost every person in the village is individually known, and 
there is very little risk of making bad debts. There is no mer- 
chant in the place able or willing to purchase a whole cargo, so 
that one is obliged to dispose of the goods at retail to the whole 
town. It is rather a tedious way of doing business, as it causes 
much delay, and consequently a great waste of time in the eye 
of an American, but not so to these people : they appear to set 
no value on time, and always take an hour or two in the middle 
of the day for a siesta. I have on a former voyage observed 
that they are a simple-hearted, honest people, and am still con- 
firmed in this opinion, not having lost a dollar by crediting a 
single person in this place. But like most other people in sul- 
try climates, they become very idle and inactive. The ladies 
of the upper classes (or the elite of Omoa) are extremely in- 



300 VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 

efficient, and do not even make their own clothing. "While here, 
I saw a man quilting a silk underdress for a lady. I asked him 
what he was doing ; he replied, he was making a dress for La 
Senora. I then said, " Do the ladies not make them ?" He an- 
swered, " No, they do not know how." I inquired, " What do 
they do, how do they employ themselves ?" He replied, " Elles 
Crian sus neiios, y se descansan en sus hamacas." 

I found here but two vessels, an American schooner, from 
and belonging to Boston. I do not recollect her name ; that 
of the captain was J. W. Baker. He was on a trading voyage, 
like myself. Captain Baker had touched at Truxillo, and sold 
a portion of his cargo. Here he was retailing what he could 
dispose of to advantage, and was going to leave Omoa for Ba- 
lize, an English settlement at the bottom of the Bay of Honduras, 
where he expected to sell what he had left, and from thence re- 
turn home to the United States. 

Captain Baker was a highly educated man, spoke fluently 
four languages, was tall and good-looking. He had travelled a 
great deal about the world, and was extremely agreeable. We 
had met many years before in Lisbon, and were now, of course, 
very happy to meet again in this lonely little corner of the world, 
so remote from what is called civilization. 

The other vessel was an English schooner belonging to the 
Balize, and bound on a trading voyage up the coast to windward 
of Omoa, at sundry landing places situated in the different lit- 
tle bays between Omoa and Truxillo. I do not recollect the 
name of the schooner nor the captain's, but clearly remember 
that of the supercargo, Mr. Flicker, a fine, warm-hearted, 
gentlemanly young Englishman, about twenty-three Or twenty- 
five years of age. His vessel lay here about a week, and during 
that period I saw him daily. We formed an attachment for 
each other, and although almost a stranger, I felt a great in- 
terest in Mr. F. from his warm-hearted, confiding character. 
The day before he left port, I took supper with him on board 
his vessel, and the next morning before he sailed, went on board 
to take leave of my young friend, while the schooner was get- 
ting under way ; little dreaming of the sad catastrophe which 
awaited his early career. 



VOYAGE LN" THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 301 

After lying at Omoa about a fortnight, we succeeded in re- 
tailing about two-thirds of our cargo at pretty fair prices. "W"e 
received our pay for the portion of the goods sold here in silver 
dollars, with the exception of a few ceroons of sarsaparilla. 

All along this coast are immense forest trees and jungle, or 
brushwood. The frequent and copious rains, aided by the burn- 
ing sun in this hot climate, cause excessive vegetation, and con- 
sequently render this country extremely unhealthy ; and so it 
will probably continue until the hand of man shall subdue the 
forest, clear the underwood, and let in the sun to absorb the hu- 
midity. A stranger from a higher northern latitude is forcibly 
struck with the sallow and sickly appearance of the inhabitants 
of this coast, which is certainly uncongenial to the white race. 
Negroes are adapted to this sultry climate ; the mulattoes and 
mixed breeds also thrive very well ;• it is universally conceded 
that the mulatto and quadroon women are more healthy and 
better looking than the white ladies. Although Divine Provi- 
dence has in this country, withheld from the white man health 
and a full development of his physical and mental faculties, yet 
He has in no way denied to the lower animals of His creation a 
large field of action, and protection from the destructive hand 
of man. The widespread forests abound with wild animals and 
game of every description. In Omoa I purchased several skins 
of wild animals, and among others, one of what is here called 
the tiger cat. It was beautifully spotted like the Bengal tiger, 
but from a much smaller animal. I was told these tiger cats 
were very numerous. Wild monkeys are also found here in 
great numbers ; and a young monkey roasted, is considered by 
many in this country a great delicacy. In a little hunting ex- 
cursion in this neighborhood, I shot a macaw, a bird of the par- 
rot genus, but very large ; it had a handsome plumage, the pre- 
dominant colors of which were bright red and deep sky-blue, 
beautifully shaded with green and yellow. "We saw large flocks 
of wild parrots, and a great variety of birds of flaming colors, 
and others with brilliant, variegated plumages, that are never 
seen in high latitudes ; in fine, I found that in this country as in 
other hot climates, the greater part of the birds and fish are 



302 VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLTJSIA. 

decked by Providence in gorgeous colors, such as are never 
found in colder regions. 

After taking in a few boat loads of stone ballast, we sailed 
for Truxillo on the 1st of February. 

For two days after leaving port we met with strong E-. N". E. 
trade winds and a lee current, and made but little progress beat- 
ing. The sloop was too light for turning to windward. "We 
therefore decided to run into one of the little bays, take in more 
ballast, and perhaps at the same time dispose of the residue of 
the cargo still remaining on board. For this purpose, on the 
4th, we ran in and anchored in one of the small bays, some 
twenty or thirty miles to the windward of Omoa, and went on 
shore. We saw no house or settlement. The whole country 
appeared like a wild, uncultivated waste of trees and bushes. 
The captain and myself were walking along the sand beach, 
when we discovered something floating in the surf. We ap- 
proached the object, and judge of my surprise, when I saw the 
corpse of my young friend Fricker ! We lifted his lifeless 
body from the water, carried it above high-water mark, covered 
it with bushes to keep off the flies, and then went in pursuit of 
our boat, to take the body of poor Fricker on board our vessel, 
and prepare a coffin to inter the remains. 

Shortly after this, we met the mate and two of the crew be- 
longing to the English schooner, in search of the body. They 
stated she was lying in the next bay to windward ; that the day 
before, Mr. Flicker was drowned by the upsetting of their boat, 
while endeavoring to land in a high surf, and that the lee-cur- 
rent during the night had taken his body to the place where we 
found it. The mate took the remains of the young man imme- 
diately on board, and returned with it to his family at the Balize. 
Here ended this tragical and very melancholy catastrophe. 
And thus I exclaimed, " Alas ! what shadows we are — what 
shadows we pursue !" 

We saw no inhabitants at this place except about half a 
dozen villainous-looking fellows, each armed with long knives 
and machetes. They said if we would remain a day or two, 
they would go to some town or village in the interior, collect a 



VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 303 

large number of men, bring down sarsaparilla, and open a trade 
for whatever we had to dispose of. I did not, however, like the 
appearance of these fellows; besides, I had heard while in 
Omoa, some sad tales about the inhabitants of this part of the 
coast, the substance of which was as follows : that when Spain 
in former times used to send convicts to the Castle of Omoa, 
they were occasionally pardoned or released from prison, and 
that they would not long remain to be watched and despised, 
and that the most of them, as a last resource, had fled to this 
part of the country. 

I was told also that sometimes a convict would make his 
escape and join this roving band of desperate villains. They 
were represented as having no permanent home, but leading a 
sort of roving, Arab kind of life, and in the lowest condition of 
moral depravity, always living in a state of dread and fear, 
and having no confidence at all in each other. These stories 
were probably highly colored, but with many grains of charita- 
ble allowance, I have no doubt they are a most degraded race. 

After getting a little ballast and firewood, Ave made sail 
again the same day, and continued to beat up for Truxillo, 
and on the 8th of February anchored in the bay nearly oppo- 
site the town. As we had but a small part of our cargo re- 
maining, we soon retailed it to the inhabitants. Here I got 
accpiainted with all the trading part of the community, ascer- 
tained what they most wanted, and took samples and a memo- 
randum of a great variety of articles. 

I told the Governor and all the principal people, if they 
would give me any encouragement to return, that in about 
seven or eight weeks I would come back from New Orleans 
with another cargo. They all promised to purchase freely, and 
to allow me a fair profit on whatever I should bring, if accord- 
ing to their directions. 

On the 24th we sailed from Truxillo, bound for New Or- 
leans, and had on board for cargo $3,800 Spanish dollars, six- 
teen ceroons of sarsaparilla, ten bales ditto, besides some things 
which I could not dispose of, such as one hogshead of leaf to- 
bacco, forty boxes of smoked herring, and some other trifling 
articles. We had rather a pleasant passage, and arrived off the 



304: VOYAGE EST THE SLOOP VOLTTSLA.. 

mouth of the Mississippi, on the 5th of March, nine days from 
Truxillo, all well. In consequence of foggy weather, we were 
detained two days off the Balize, before we got into the river. 
We had a long and tedious passage up, and did not arrive at 
New Orleans until the 24th of March. 

A few days after our arrival, Capt. Gillet and myself divid- 
ed our funds, when I purchased back his half of the sloop and 
commenced loading the Yolusia again for Truxillo, on my own 
account. Captain G. returned home to JSTew York. I retained 
the same mates, the two seamen and my faithful black steward, 
Domingo, and commenced buying another cargo, the greater 
part of which, suitable for Truxillo and Omoa, was now very 
low and abundant. I bought one hundred barrels of excellent 
flour, at two dollars and seventy-five cents, hams at six cents 
per pound, and a great many other articles at very low prices ; 
even commodities brought from the northern States, were about 
as cheap here, as in New York or Boston. Consequently I 
purchased a great variety of almost every kind of merchandise. 

The whole invoice amounted to $2,000. After getting ready 
for sea, I left New Orleans on the 8th of April, and the next 
day, at two o'clock in the afternoon, got down to the mouth of 
the river, where, meeting no pilot, I proceeded to sea without 
one, and steered on our course for Truxillo. 

We generally had pleasant trade winds and fine weather, 
and after a passage of twelve days, arrived off the port, having 
been absent eight weeks. 

Before leaving Truxillo, I had told the inhabitants to look 
out for me on the 20th of April, and that when I arrived off 
the port, I would show a white flag under the American en- 
sign, that they might instantly recognize my sloop. 

I did not arrive on the 20th, but by good fortune got off the 
harbor the 21st, in the morning. When they saw my signal 
flying, several boats, with many of the most respectable ladies 
and gentlemen of the place came on board as soon as we 
dropped our anchor, and gave me a hearty welcome to Truxillo. 

The inhabitants of this place, like the people of Omoa, I 
found very honest. I allowed them to take away whatever 
they bought without the least fear of incurring a loss, and in 



VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 305 

the course of a week, when I called for the money, it was ready 
in every case. I am, moreover, happy to add, that I never 
lost a dollar in giving credit to any person in this town. I soon 
sold the little cargo I brought here, and at very fair prices. 

At this period, Truxillo and all the neighboring provinces 
belonged to old Spain, and the inhabitants were in constant 
fear of attacks from the brigs and schooners-of-war belonging 
to the Carthaginian navy ; both this town and Omoa had been 
once or twice assaulted, but had thus far defended themselves 
and adhered to Spain, and were still its colonies. In order to 
strengthen the forts at Truxillo, the Governor had sent to the 
Havana for two long brass twenty-four pound guns. These 
two cannons were sent down to Truxillo in a small vessel some 
weeks before I arrived, but while in the act of landing, one of 
them unfortunately slipped out of the slings and fell overboard. 
They were unable to get it up, and the vessel returned to the 
Havana, leaving this fine long gun sunk in four fathoms of 
water. 

On my arrival, the Governor inquired of me whether I 
could raise the gun and get it on shore. He said it was very 
important to the community that it should be recovered and 
mounted to defend the town, in case they were again attacked. 
I replied that if he would supply me with ten or fifteen men, 
with them and my crew I would raise the gun and bring it on 
shore. He readily embraced my offer, and promised me every 
favor I could ask in the way of compensation, such as remitting 
a large portion of my duties, etc., etc. I told him I required 
nothing more than a fair remuneration for the labor of my 
crew, and the detention of my vessel for two days. All this he 
promised, and a thousand times more. Accordingly, the next 
morning I hauled my vessel to the spot, and as the water was 
very clear and the bottom hard sand, I soon got large, new 
ropes fastened to the gun, and with a suitable purchase applied 
to the windlass of the Volusia, hove it up alongside of the ves- 
sel ; but now the great difficulty was to get it on shore ; there 
was no boat large enough to float it, and no suitable timber in 
the town to make a raft. At length, some logs were found, 
with which, together with what boards I had on board, my 
20 



306 VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 

people constructed a raft, and the next day the gun was taken 
on shore, when some two or three hundred men, with ropes and 
rollers, transported it to the fort, where it was mounted in great 
triumph. 

But mark the meanness of this miserable Governor; he 
gave my mates and crew nothing, and notwithstanding I had 
injured and spoiled a great deal of new cordage, he made me 
no remuneration for the damage, and in the way of favor in re- 
mitting duties, it was only a piece of hypocritical deception. 
In fine, he was such a mean-spirited wretch, that I would ac- 
cept nothing at his hands, and every honorable man in the 
place appeared to be ashamed of his conduct. 

What a contrast between this paltry upstart, and the good 
old Governor of Omoa ! The latter was fit for an emperor, the 
former only for a spy or informer. 

The town of Truxillo is situated at the head of the bay of 
the same name, and lies in lat. 15° 54' N., long. 86° 2' W. The 
bay is about four leagues wide, and five deep ; spacious and 
easy to navigate, having good anchorage in from five to 
twenty fathoms of water, according to the distance from the 
shore. The anchorage at Truxillo is about three-quarters of a 
mile from the town in five fathoms of water, which is pleas- 
antly located on the side of a hill of a moderate height, and 
contains, I should think, about fifteen hundred to two thousand 
inhabitants. Some of the houses are well built, and it is rather 
a pleasant place ; it is better situated, more healthy, and alto- 
gether a more desirable residence than Omoa. It is defended 
by three forts, which at this time were manned by about three 
hundred soldiers. 

The inhabitants, like those of Omoa, are a simple-hearted, 
honest people. They appear to be a mixed breed, of Spanish 
and the original natives of the country. There were also here 
a considerable number of Caribs, some of the oldest of whom 
were brought from the Island of St. Vincent, West Indies, by 
order of the British Government, and placed on the Island of 
Rattan, in the year 1794. There were at that time, about one 
hundred and fifty or two hundred families. These people are 
the descendants of the original inhabitants of St. Yincent, 



VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 307 

which was discovered by Columbus, in 1493. After remaining 
at "Rattan about six months, they sent several of their leaders to 
Truxillo, to obtain permission from the public authorities to 
come to the continent with their wives and children, and settle 
among the Spaniards. Their request was granted, when they 
all left the Island of Rattan, and came to Truxillo. Some few 
remained there, and the rest settled themselves about a league 
S. W. of that town, where they formed a village, which they 
and their descendants still occupy. I am told they have in- 
creased to some twenty-five hundred in number, and are rather 
an industrious people. I sold goods to some of them, and found 
them punctual and honest in their dealings. 

I saw a group of some six or eight of these old Indians and 
their wives, in Truxillo, who were on a visit from their village 
in the neighborhood, and was told that they originally came 
from St. Vincent. They appeared quite old, and were clad in 
the Indian style, with loose dresses wrapped round them, their 
heads adorned with gay feathers, their faces painted, rings in 
their ears, and some of them even in their noses. 

They were, indeed, a remnant of a once numerous race of 
men, now almost extinct. They are a living monument of the 
history of the Caribs, and carry the min^l back to the days when 
they were first discovered by Columbus. No one can look 
upon them but with a feeling of sympathy for the wrongs and 
persecutions they and their ancestors have suffered from the 
sordid avarice of the white man. 

I regretted that my short stay at Truxillo would not admit of 
my visiting their village, and hearing from their own lips their 
history and present situation. The younger portion of this 
community speak Spanish, and the older ones know enough of 
it to make themselves understood, though they communicate 
with each other in their native tongue. 

After remaining fifteen days at Truxillo, I left the port on 
the 6th of May, at eight o'clock in the evening, stood out of 
Truxillo Bay for the island of Bonaca, and the next morning, 
at seven o'clock, got under its lee or west end, where I stood 
off and on for an hour or two, and went on shore in my 
boat in pursuit of a safe harbor. I soon found a snug little bay, 



308 VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 

and after sounding and exploring it, returned, beat the sloop 
into port, and came safe to anchor in four fathoms of water 
within three cables' length of the shore. It was a safe harbor 
with a fine sand beach all around it, with an abundance of 
cocoanut-trees growing all along the shore and on the sand 
beach, even down to the edge of the salt water. There were no 
inhabitants on the island. I touched at this place to collect 
cocoanuts and firewood, and also to obtain a few boat-loads of 
stone ballast. There were plenty of the former growing on the 
trees, and a great many lying on the ground under them. 

As I intended to remain here for some days, I moored the 
sloop, got every thing snug, and began with our two boats to 
collect and bring on board the best cocoanuts we could find, 
both from those lying under, and also from the trees. The first 
day we took on board but four hundred, the next, we had fine 
weather and a pleasant breeze from the ~N. E. Both boats 
were employed in getting cocoanuts which we found in a bay 
about one league to the windward of our port. This day we 
collected and took on board three thousand four hundred and 
twenty. The same day we fell in with a boat from Truxillo, 
manned with four men ; two of whom were mulattoes and two 
negroes. They were in pursuit of hawksbill turtle ; the shell 
from this species is very valuable. These people had set nets 
on the reefs around the island, and to each net was attached a 
decoy turtle made of wood. In this way they had already caught 
a considerable number, notwithstanding they had been here 
but about a week. From them I purchased three large green 
turtle, weighing from one hundred and fifty to two hundred 
and thirty pounds each. These fishermen set but a very small 
value on them, their shell being good for nothing. The inhabi- 
tants of Truxillo will scarcely purchase them at any price. 

May 9th, fresh trade-winds from the E. N. E., and clear, 
pleasant weather. While the mate and seamen were employed 
collecting cocoanuts with the long-boat, I took a boy with me 
in the jolly-boat, and with a musket, went on a little exploring 
excursion to an adjacent bay, about a mile to the northward of 
where my vessel lay at anchor. This being the first anchorage 
on our arrival, I called it after my sloop, Volusia Bay. This 



VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 309 

small harbor was to us a sort of a central point, from which we 
started every morning in pursuit of any object of profit or curi- 
osity. I had scarcely landed, before I discovered a huge snake 
lying apparently in a torpid state by the side of a large rock, and 
as there were no clubs or suitable sticks at hand, I told the boy 
to bring me one of the boat's oars in order to kill the serpent. 
I took it for this purpose, but on the first stroke, it broke ; the 
butt end, however, made me a fine club, with which I soon 
dispatched him, as I thought ; when we tied a rope to him, and 
conveyed him to the boat. We then covered him with cocoa- 
nuts, and started for the vessel, at anchor in the next bay. 
Soon after leaving the shore, the snake revived and raised his 
head, and I found it necessary to beat him with the oar to keep 
him from making his escape into the water. "VVe soon, how- 
ever, got alongside of the sjoop, when the mate cut his throat 
and opened his stomach, in which we found a rabbit partly 
decayed, which weighed seven pounds. The serpent was a 
boa-constrictor, between eight and nine feet long, fourteen 
inches in circumference, and weighed eighteen pounds. I 
gave it to the mate, Mr. Sandy, who skinned him, and after 
keeping the skin in a strong pickle for several days, stuffed it 
with dry oakum, and thus preserved it in a perfect state. On 
our return, Mr. S. sold it to the proprietor of the New York 
Museum for twenty dollars. 

In order to keep fresh and healthy the three turtle I had 
purchased here, I took them, by the advice of the fishermen, to 
what they call a turtle crawl, which is made by driving stakes 
into the sand beach just below the edge of the sea, so that they 
may swim in the water and still not be able to make their es- 
cape. In this place .1 secured them, and then returned on 
board my vessel. I had not been there long before we heard a 
loud splashing of the water, and a great commotion in the turtle 
crawl. I immediately took a musket and went to ascertain 
what was the matter. On my arrival there, 1 found an enor- 
mous alligator had just made his escape from the crawl. He 
was, I should judge, about eight or ten feet long, and swam so 
low in the water that I could not harm him with a musket 
ball ; he soon eluded us and we lost sight of him. I then re- 



310 VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 

moved the turtle on board, and found one of them with his flip- 
pers bitten off, and one of the others badly mangled by the 
teeth of this sly and powerful monster. The one which was so 
badly wounded, we killed and ate, the other two we brought to 
New York. 

This day, just after sunset, we saw a very large and brilliant 
meteor. It appeared like an immense ball of fire shooting 
from the south in a northerly direction, and what rendered it 
more remarkable to me, was, that it should be so distinctly 
seen while it was still twilight, and only one star in the heavens 
visible. 

May 10th. — This day we had a continuation of the north- 
east trade-winds, and clear, pleasant weather. I sent the mate 
and crew of the long-boat in pursuit of cocoanuts, which had 
become rather scarce. They had to go to a greater distance 
than heretofore, even to the windward side of the island to 
obtain good ones. I then took a man with me, and being 
armed with muskets, we endeavored to cross the island, and to 
shoot some wild hogs, of which there are enough here. Upon 
entering the bushes, however, we found the underwood so thick, 
that we could not penetrate far into the interior, and were 
obliged to return. We started several of them, but the bushes 
were so thick that we shot none. 

May 11th. — This day we had moderate breezes from the E. 
N. E., and open, cloudy weather. The cocoanuts had- now be- 
come scarce, and we began to tire of this wild, Robinson Crusoe 
kind of life. 

We took on board three long-boat loads of stone ballast, 
several loads of firewood, filled up our water-casks with pure, 
fresh water, and began to get ready for sea. I found, on exam- 
ination, that we had collected 6,640 cocoanuts, and some twelve 
or fifteen plants or small trees, which we had planted with sand, 
in barrels and half-barrels. 

This lonely, but interesting island, lies in latitude 16° 24/ 1ST., 
longitude 86° 00' W., about thirty miles north of Truxillo, and 
fifteen or twenty to the eastward of Rattan Island. Bonaca is 
generally of a moderate height, but there are several high hills 
in the interior, well covered with trees and bushes. All along 



VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 311 

the shore are numerous cocoanut trees growing in the sand- 
beach, and, as I have before remarked, they frequently grow in 
the barren sand, in the surf, on the very verge of the ocean ; 
and thus situated, they appear to thrive better than higher up 
in the dry soil. I should think Bonaca was about three miles 
long and two broad. It contains several tine bays, which make 
very good harbors for small vessels ; and, taking every thing 
into consideration, I think it a very pleasant little island, and 
capable of supporting several families very comfortably. There 
are many little fertile spots, which might be easily cultivated. 
The climate, although warm and sultry in the middle of the 
day, is nevertheless cooled and refreshed by the sea-breezes in 
the afternoon, which must render it a healthy place. Fish and 
turtle are abundant, so that a few families could lire here with 
very little labor, and listen to the gentle wailing of the ocean, 
far from the cares and anxieties of the world. I know of no 
better place for a recluse, or one satiated with the vanities of 
life, than Bonaca. 

May 12th. — This day commenced with moderate breezes 
from the eastward, and fine, pleasant weather. At six in the 
morning, hoisted in the long-boat and got ready for sea. At 
nine, got under way, and sailed out of Volusia Bay, bound to 
New York, after remaining six days at Bonaca. 

I steered to the northward, with a pleasant northeast trade- 
wind, and had fine weather for three days after sailing, when 
we made Cape Antonio, and the land about the west end of 
Cuba, on the 15th of May. Five days after, we made the 
Double-Headed Shot Keys, from thence steered to the north- 
ward, and on the 22d, passed near Cat Key. From this time 
until we arrived in New York, on the 30th of May, I find nothing 
in my journal worth noticing. We made the passage from 
Bonaca to New York in eighteen days, and I am happy to add, 
I made a very good voyage, or rather, two little ones, after an 
absence of five months and twenty-one days. 

On my return to Brooklyn I learned, with sorrow and 
grief, that we had lost our only daughter. Soon after my 
arrival, I received a letter from Captain Baker, dated Martha's 
Vineyard, May, 1821, from which the following is an extract : 



312 VOYAGE IN THE SLOOP VOLUSIA. 

" Since I left you in Omoa, I have not' been very successful ; 
my mate and two men were sick with the Omoa fever. I lost 
one man,, and this, out of a small crew of five in number, was 
extremely unfortunate for me. I heard in the Balize of your 
rescuing poor Fricker from a watery grave, and consigning him 
to an earthly one ; this act has secured you the gratitude and es- 
teem of his friends and connections there, and should you ever 
visit that place, will be a passport to their society. When I re- 
flect on the mutability of all things in this world, I am ready to 
repeat the sentiment so finely expressed by Goldsmith : 

' Turn, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego, 

For earth-born cares are wrong ; 
Man wants but little here below, 

Nor wants that little long.' 

" I hope to hear from you speedily, and remain, 

Yours, as ever, 

J. W. B." 



CHAPTER XXVIII 

VOYAGE IN THE PILOT-BOAT SCHOONER " SEA-SERPENT," FROM NEW YORK 
TO LIMA, IN THE YEARS 1821 AND 1822. 

After having settled the last voyage I made in the Yolusia, 
from New Orleans to Trnxillo and Bonaca, and disposed of that 
vessel, I decided to make up a voyage to the Pacific. By re- 
cent accounts from Peru we learned that Lord Cochran, with a 
Chilian fleet, was blockading Lima, aided by a strong land force 
under the command of General St. Martin ; that the Spaniards 
had concentrated their armies in Lima and its vicinity, had 
strongly fortified themselves there and at the castles of Callao, 
and would probably hold out for at least six months longer. 
We also heard that the inhabitants of Lima were in great want 
of every thing, especially provisions of almost every description. 
On the receipt of this information, Mr. Harmony, a merchant of 
New York, proposed to me in the month of October, 1821, to pur- 
chase a fast-sailing pilot-boat schooner and fit her out for Lima, 
with a view of evading the blockade, and profiting by the 
high prices which could be obtained for almost every thing sent 
to that place. 

We soon made arrangements to purchase a suitable vessel, 
to be owned by Mr. H., Mr. B., an Italian gentleman, and my- 
self. I agreed to take one-fifth interest in the schooner and 
cargo, command the vessel, and act as supercargo during the 
voyage. The enterprise was well planned, and had the cargo 
been laid in with good judgment, the voyage would have 
proved eminently successful. As it was managed by Mr. H. 
and Mr. B. it proved in the end rather a failure. 



314: VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 

I had never been in Lima, and knew nothing of its 'wants ; 
Mr. B. had resided there several years, but as he was not a 
merchant, his information proved of little service. I relied en- 
tirely on the judgment of my two associates, and therefore took 
many articles not at all adapted to the market. Such as were 
wanted at Lima paid an enormous profit. 

After searching about for a week or two, we at length found 
a sharp pilot-boat built schooner called the "Sea-Serpent/' 
Her burthen was 139 tons. Though only three years old, she 
was soft and defective, and subsequently proved to be rotten, 
and, in bad weather, very leaky. The schooner had just return- 
ed from a voyage to Chagres, where she had lost her caj3tain, 
officers and nearly all her crew by the yellow fever, and while 
in that hot climate was not properly ventilated, and had thus 
suffered from dry rot. 

The defect was not discovered by the carpenter who was 
sent to examine her before she. was purchased by Mr. H. I 
think we gave seven thousand five hundred dollars for the 
schooner, and on the 20th of October, commenced loading. We 
first took in ten or twelve tons of English and Swedish iron and 
100 flasks of quicksilver, which cost over $3,500 ; six hogs- 
heads containing 234 kegs of butter, about 2,500 pounds, and 
many other articles of French, English and German goods, not 
at all adapted to the market, situated as the people of Lima were, 
in the midst of war and threatened with famine. 

The whole cost of the vessel and cargo, including the insu- 
rance out, was $30,726. 

Mr. B.'s interest amounted to $5,000, my own was one-fifth 
of the adventure, and the remainder belonged to Mr. II. I sub- 
sequently, before sailing, sold to my friend Richard M. Law- 
rence, Esq., of New York, half of my interest in both vessel 
and cargo, leaving for my own account only about $3,000. Be- 
side this amount, I had, however, for my own private adven- 
ture, about $1,500 in jewelry and silk stockings. These articles, 
though valuable, occupied but a very small space in the stowage 
of the vessel. I took with me Mr. B. as passenger, my cousin 
Mr. Freegift Coggeshall as chief mate, my brother Francis 



. VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 315 

Coggeshall as second mate, and a crew of nine men and boys, 
including the cook and steward. 

Thus loaded and manned, we sailed from New York, on the 
15th of November, 1821, for Lima. For the first and second 
days out we had fine weather and fair winds from the westward. 
On the third day, we met with strong gales from the eastward, 
and a high head sea running, so that we were compelled to lay 
to ten or twelve hours. Our decks were filled with water and 
the schooner began to leak, which was a bad sign at the com- 
mencement of a long voyage. The next day, the wind shifted 
to the westward, when we again made sail and stood on our 
course to the eastward. We continued to have strong gales 
from the westward and very bad weather until the 4th of De- 
cember, when we made the Island of St. Mary's, bearing E. S. 
E. five leagues distant. This is one of the Azores, or Western 
Islands, and lies in lat. 36° 59' K, long. 25° 10' W. 

We lost here two days, by reason of strong gales from the 
S. S. W., with a high head sea, and very squally weather. 
After getting into lat. 24° N., we took the regular trade-winds, 
and generally had pleasant weather ; but whenever we en- 
countered a strong breeze, we found the schooner leaked con- 
siderably, and being deeply laden, she was extremely wet and 
uncomfortable. 

On the night of the 17th of December, when in lat. 16°, long, 
about 25° W., we caught fifty-eight flying-fish on deck. The 
schooner was so deep and low in the water, that large numbers 
of these fish came on board. The next day, a great many flying- 
fish were washed on deck, and others flew on board in such 
numbers, that we had, during these two days, enough to serve 
all hands in abundance. The schooner continued to leak more 
and more, and we kept one pump employed almost con- 
stantly. 

From this time to the 25th, nothing remarkable occurred. 
Christmas being an idle day, we killed the only remaining 
pig, all the others, eight in number, having been drowned 
by the salt water, which almost always flooded the decks when 
there was a high sea. 

On the 27th, saw a sail, standing to the northward ; and 



316 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 

this day crossed the equinoctial line, in long. 26° W. ; light 
winds and variable, with dark, rainy weather ; thermometer 
at 84° at two p. m. We continued to experience the same wea- 
ther for forty-eight hours, when we struck the S. E. trades in 
lat. 4° S. We had for many days iine breezes from the S. E., 
and very pleasant weather. I have almost always found this re- 
•gion of the South Atlantic — say from 5° to 20° S. latitude — a 
delightful part of the ocean to navigate, the weather fine and 
mild, and the skies clear and beautiful, with a temperature 
generally not so hot as to be uncomfortable. 

We sailed through these pleasant latitudes without any inci- 
dent worth remarking until we reached lat. 22° 41' S., on the 
6th of January, 1822, when we again had bad, rainy weather, 
with the wind from the westward. This continued for 24 
hours, when we had a return of the S. E. trades, and pleasant 
weather. 

January Sth, lat. 24° 20' S. — Last night, the weather being 
very fine and clear, we saw for the first time what are called the 
Magellan clouds. They are three in number, and were not far 
above the horizon. They bore from us about S. S. E., and are 
evidently clusters of stars ; two of theni appeared white like the 
milky-way, the other was dark and indistinctly seen. 

January 9th. — At 8 o'clock in the morning, the weather 
being hazy, with a light breeze from the S. E., the man on the 
lookout at the mast-head cried out " Land ho !" and told the offi- 
cer of the deck that he saw something ahead that looked like a 
small island, and that there were thousands of birds on and 
around it. In a few minutes every eye was eagerly gazing at 
the supposed island. 

I knew there was no land laid down on any of my charts 
near where we were, and therefore concluded that it must be the 
wreck of a ship. As the wind was very light we drew slowly 
up with the newly discovered object. It soon, however, became 
visible from the deck, when I took a spy-glass and examined it 
with close attention ; but owing to the constant changes it as- 
sumed I was at a loss to decide what it was, from its undulating 
appearance, alternately rising above the water and then disap- 
pearing beneath it, until within half a mile's distance, when all 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 317 

doubt was solved, and we found it to be an enormous dead whale 
floating on its back. It was very much swollen, and at times 
apparently some six or eight feet above the water. There were 
innumerable flocks of wild fowl hovering over and alighting 
upon it. Many of them appeared to be devouring it, and were 
making loud and wild screams, as if exulting over this grand 
but accidental feast. 

In order to ascertain with more precision its length and 
size, I hove the schooner to, a short distance to windward, and 
went in my boat to examine it, which I did to my entire satis- 
faction. 

When approaching near, it became so offensive that I was 
obliged to keep at a respectful distance to windward, and there 
watch the numerous flocks of sea birds that were revelling 
upon it. In the midst of their din of discordant screams, it was 
strange to witness with what delight they tore off portions of 
the fish, and how at each moment their number seemed to 
augment. 

After leaving this scene, I came to the conclusion that dead 
whales like this are one great cause of so many " dangers" and 
" small islands," being laid down on all the old charts, which 
dangers are found not to exist. Such objects as these were 
probably discovered in dark, windy weather, when it would 
have been dangerous to have approached near enough to the 
supposed islands to ascertain what they really were. Thus we 
have, even at the present time, laid down all over the Atlantic 
ocean, rocks, shoals and dangers, the greater part of which do 
not in reality exist. 

January 10th, lat. 26° 10' S. — During the early part of the 
last two nights, we have seen the four bright stars called the 
Southern Cross. They are very brilliant, and with a little 
help of the imagination form a pretty good representation of 
the Christian cross ; and I have no doubt that many of the 
early Roman Catholic navigators believed they were placed 
in the heavens to substantiate the truth of the Christian reli- 
gion. 

January 15th. — This day, at noon, we fell in with and 
boarded the ship Hannibal, of Sag Harbor, seven months out 



318 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SEKPENT. 

on a whaling voyage. They informed me that they had on 
board 3000 barrels of oil. 

At 9 o'clock, p. m., spoke the whaling ship Fame, of ISTew 
London. We were now in lat. 37° 20' S., long. 49° W; 

On the 17th, we had clear, pleasant weather, with light and 
variable winds. At 10 o'clock a. m., our long., by a good lu- 
nar observation, was 50° 38' W., lat. at noon 41° V S. At 6 
o'clock of this day we fell in with the ships Herald and Ama- 
zon. They were cruising in company for whale, and both be- 
longed to Fair Haven, Mass. The captain of the Herald came 
on board to ascertain his longitude ; he said they had seen no 
land for the last two months, and had been too busy to pay 
much attention to the course of the ship ; that he knew nothing 
of lunar observations, and had no chronometer ; he was there- 
fore desirous to ascertain the present position of his ship. I had 
an excellent chronometer on board, and, as the lunar observa- 
tion taken that day agreed with it, I told him there was no 
doubt that I could give him the exact latitude and longitude. 
He said he had only been eight months at sea, and had then on 
board 1400 barrels of oil ; that the Amazon had taken 1100 
barrels, and that he should soon steer to the northward on his 
way home. 

When the whale-boat belonging to the Herald came along- 
side the Sea-Serpent, it was higher than the deep-loaded pilot- 
boat. The captain of the Herald said to me : — " Well, cap- 
tain, you say you are from J^ew York, bound for Lima ; but 
seriously, are you going round Cape Horn in this little whistle- 
diver ?" " I shall certainly try it, captain," said I, " and hope 
I shall succeed." " Well then," he replied, " but tell me, did 
you get your life insured before you left home ?" " ISTo," said 
I, "but I left my family in comfortable circumstances, so that 
if I should be taken away they will have enough to live upon ; 
besides, I am a good schooner sailor, and accustomed to these 
whistle-divers, as you call them." "Well, captain," said the 
whaler, " I must say you have good courage, and I hope you 
may succeed ; but for my part, I had rather kill a hundred 
whales than go round the Horn in this little craft." After this 
dialogue we parted with mutual good wishes for future pros- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 319 

perity and happiness, and each resumed our course upon the 
great, trackless deep. The next day, Jan. 18th, we had strong 
breezes from the S. E., and though the winds were fresh and 
strong, with considerable sea, we were able to steer on our S. 
W. course under reefed sails. 

I must not omit to mention the singular fact, that a flock of 
sea-birds had followed my schooner for the last ten days, namely, 
from lat. 26° S., and were still hovering near the vessel, some- 
times ahead, and then again about thirty or forty yards astern. 
They frequently alighted on the water, and appeared to watch 
every small particle of food or grease that was thrown over- 
board. They were fifteen in number, about the size of a com- 
mon turtle-dove ; and are called by seamen, cape pigeons. 

From this time to the 22d of January, nothing remarkable 
occurred until, on that day, we met with a severe gale from the 
southward, attended with a high head sea, so that at midnight 
we were obliged to lay to under a close reefed foresail. We 
were now in lat. 46° 50' S., long. 58° 26' W. At noon, I caught 
three large albatros with a hook and line, buoyed up by several 
corks and baited with fat pork. One of the largest measured 
across his wings, from tip to tip, eight feet four inches. They 
were covered with white feathers three or four inches thick, 
thus kindly protected by Providence from the cold, in these in- 
clement latitudes. In low latitudes, where the weather is hot 
and sultry, the birds are thinly covered with feathers, mostly of 
high and brilliant colors. The fish, also, in hot climates, partake 
of the same gorgeous colors ; such, for instance, as the parrot 
fish, the red snapper and many others. After passing these hot 
regions, approaching the latitude of 50°, and so up to the lati- 
tude of Cape Horn, the birds are generally all white, and 
clothed with an immense mat of down and feathers. Among 
the fish, I likewise saw no gay-colored ones in these cold regions ; 
on the contrary, I frequently saw large shoals of porpoises pied, 
and sometimes quite white. 

While sailing and travelling about the world, I have often 
been struck with the wisdom and goodness of God, not only to 
man but to all His creatures, in suiting their condition to the 
different climates of the earth. We find the colored man 



320 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 

adapted to the sultry, burning climates, and the white man 
constituted to endure the cold. So it is with beasts, birds and 
fish. 

I first began to notice the kindness of Providence, when only 
a boy trading to the islands of the West Indies. I observed 
that the sheep we used to take there from Connecticut, though 
thickly covered with wool would shortly lose their fleeces, and 
eventually become hairy like goats. On the other hand, the 
higher the latitude, where the cold is most intense, the thicker 
and finer is the fur on the animals, for example, where the bear, 
seal and musk ox are found. 

As we increased our latitude, the weather became daily more 
and more rough and boisterous; we encountered storm after 
storm, and the weather was more cloudy, cold and disagreeable, 
which kept us reefing and changing almost hourly. On the 
27th of January, at 5 a. m., daylight, we made the Falkland Isl- 
ands, bearing from S. to S. E., distant five leagues ; the winds 
being light and the weather moderate, we stood in shore. The 
wind being at this time at W. S. W., we were unable to fetch 
to westward of the islands, and therefore commenced beating 
up along-shore to weather the westernmost island. These isl- 
ands appear of a moderate height, and generally rocky and 
barren. Lat. by obs. this day 51° 18' S., long, about 61° 6' W. 
"We continued to beat to the westward all this day and the fol- 
lowing ; standing oft and on the land, with open, cloudy weather, 
and moderate gales from the S. W. Saw a high rock appear- 
ing like a lofty sail ; marked on the charts Eddystone Rock. 

On Monday, the 28th, land still in sight ; at meridian the 
wind shifted to the N. W., which enabled us to weather the 
land, and thus we passed to the westward of this group of isl- 
ands, and steered on our course to the southward and westward 
towards Cape Horn : lat. by obs. at noon, 50° 58' S., long. 61° 
50' "W.v In the afternoon of this day, the weather became thick 
and rainy ; passed several tide rips, and saw a number of pen- 
guins. The little flock of cape pigeons before alluded to, still 
followed the schooner — they are our constant companions by 
day and by night, in sunshine and in tempest. The variation 
of the compass here is from one and three quarters to two points 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 321 

easterly. The weather was now cold and disagreeable; tem- 
perature by Fahrenheit's thermometer 50° above zero. 

Tuesday, Jan. 29£A. — Light winds and variable. This day 
the weather appeared to change every hour or two ; at times 
the sun would shine out, and then suddenly disappear and be- 
come obscured by a thick fog. This would continue but for a 
short time, when a strong breeze from the northward would 
blow all the fog away, and the sky remain pretty clear for a 
few hours, then the sun would again break out and shine, and 
perhaps another hour would bring a flight of snow. Sometimes, 
even when the sun was shining, the decks would be covered for 
a few minutes with snow, which would soon melt away and be 
followed by a violent shower of rain and hail. In fine, I find 
it very difficult to describe the weather in this dreary region ; 
though we were in the midst of summer, we had all the seasons 
of the year in the course of a day. These continual changes 
kept us constantly making and taking in sail throughout these 
twenty-four hours. Lat. by obs. 53° 1' S., long. 64° 0' W. 

Jan. SOt/i. — These twenty-four hours commenced with a 
strong gale from the westward, with a high head sea running. 
At 1 p. m., hove to under a two-reefed foresail ; dark, cloudy, 
cold weather, with violent squalls of hail and rain. At mid- 
night the gale moderated, when we again made sail, the schooner 
laboring violently and making much water. Lat. by obs., 53° 
30' S., long. 64° W. 

Jan. 31st. — This day commenced with strong gales from the 
westward with a high head sea running ; weather dark and 
gloomy. The wind throughout these twenty-four hours con- 
tinued to blow strong from the westward, and being directly 
ahead, we found it impossible to gain to the westward, and were 
glad to hold our own without losing ground. During the day 
we had much thunder and lightning. Lat. by obs. 54° V S., 
long. 64° 0' W. 

Feb. 1st. — Last night the sky was clear for a little while in 
the zenith, when we saw the Magellan clouds nearly over our 
heads. This day had a continuation of strong gales from the 
westward, and very bad, stormy weather ; we, however, con- 
tinued to ply to the windward under close-reefed sails, but 
21 



322 VOYAGE EST THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 

having a strong westerly gale and a lee current against us, we 
made but little progress. At 6 a. m. made Staten Land ;" this 
land, like the Falklands, appeared cold and dreary, and only a 
fit habitation for seal and wild fowl, which are here very 
abundant. The sea in this vicinity also abounds in whales of 
monstrous bulk. At noon the body of Staten Land bore K". by 
W., twelve leagues distant. At meridian the sun shone out, 
when we found our latitude to be 55° 31' S., long. 64° 8' W. 

Feb. 2d. — This day, like the last, was dark and gloomy, with 
a continuation of westerly winds, but not so strong as to pre- 
vent our plying to windward under close-reefed sails. The 
thermometer fell down to 45° above zero. In consequence of 
contrary winds and a lee current, we gained but little on our 
course during these twenty-four hours. Lat. by obs., 56° 20' 
S., long. 65° 27' W. 

Feb. 3d. — On this day, when within about 50 miles of Cape 
Horn, a terrible gale commenced blowing from the westward. 
It continued to increase until it blew a perfect hurricane, and 
soon created a mountainous sea. We got our foreyard on deck, 
and hove the schooner to, under the head of a new foresail. I 
then ordered all the bulwarks and waist-boards to be knocked 
away, that nothing might impede the water from passing over 
the decks ; otherwise, so great a quantity would have lodged in 
the lee waist, that our little schooner would have been water- 
logged and swamped with the weight of it. With crowbars 
and axes the waist-boards were all demolished ; then the sea 
broke over the decks and passed off without injury to our little 
bark, and she rose like a stormy petrel on the top of the sea, 
which threatened every moment to swallow us in its abyss. 
The ocean was lashed into a white foam by the fury of the tem- 
pest. The same weather continued with but little intermission 
for a space of five days. During a great part of this time it 
was almost impossible to look to windward, so violent were the 
hail and snow squalls. In the midst of this tempest, my officers 
and men behaved nobly ; the most perfect order prevailed ; not 
a whisper of fear or contention was heard ' during the whole of 
our perilous situation. To render the men more comfortable, I 
removed them all from the forecastle to the cabin, where they 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 323 

continued to live until we had fairly doubled the Cape and 
found better weather. 

My Italian passenger was terribly alarmed during the tern- 
pest, and entreated me, in piteous tones, to put away for Rio 
Janeiro. He said if I would do so, he would instantly sign an 
agreement to give me all his interest in the vessel and cargo. I 
resolutely declined his offer, telling him that while we had masts 
and sails, and the vessel would float under us, I would never 
put back. 

This Cape is rendered more dreadful from the fact of its in- 
hospitable position, and being so far removed from any civil- 
ized port. It is a cold, cheerless, barbarous coast, where no pro- 
vision, or supplies of any kind, can be had in case of shipwreck or 
disaster, so that the greatest vigilance and perseverance are neces- 
sary to surmount the many obstacles that present themselves. 

Feb. 8th. — The gale abated, and we were again enabled to 
make sail and pty to the westward. Our faithful little pigeons 
had hovered about us during the long tempest, and now re- 
sumed the journey with us. We got an observation of the sun 
this day at noon, and found ourselves in lat. 57° 33' S., long. 
66° 12' W. 

Feb. 9th. — We had, throughout these twenty -four hours, fa- 
vorable gales from the N. E., and open, cloudy weather. Made 
all sail and steered to the westward, gained 160 miles distance on 
a direct course, and every thing began to wear a more favorable 
appearance. We made better progress this clay than we had done 
since our arrival in these high southern latitudes. Lat. by ob- 
servation at noon, 57° 16' S., long, by chronometer, 71° 4' W. 

Feb. 10th. — This day commenced with strong gales from 
the southward, with dark, squally weather ; under reefed sails, 
standing to the northward and westward, made a distance of 
155 miles per log. Towards noon the sun shone out, when we 
found ourselves, at meridian, in lat. 55° 44' S., long. 74° 48' W. 
We had now fairly doubled Cape Horn ; and hoped in a few 
days to descend to lower latitudes, and find warmer and better 
weather. It was now fifteen days since we made the Falkland 
Islands, so that we were from thirteen to fifteen days weather- 
ing Cape Horn, which is not an unusual length of time ; and 



324: VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 

had our vessel been a good ship of three or four hundred tons, 
we should have suffered nothing in comparison with what we 
experienced, in a deep-loaded, pilot-boat schooner, of one hun- 
dred and forty tons, leaking badly. From the 10th of February 
to the 16th, we generally had light and variable winds from the 
northward and westward, so that we made but slow progress 
during the week, and nothing worth recording occurred. 

Feb. 17th. — This- day commenced with light breezes from 
the S. W., and fine weather. During the night, in a squall, a 
small fish was washed on board. It weighed before it was 
dressed about half a pound, and in appearance was not unlike a 
brook trout, except that it had a greenish color. I directed the 
cook to prepare it for my breakfast, and told him to fry it with 
a few slices of salt pork. At breakfast, I divided the fish be- 
tween my passenger, the chief mate and myself. "We all ate of 
it with a good relish, and returned on deck ; but very soon af- 
ter were all taken sick ; the mate was seized with violent vom- 
iting, and became deadly pale and languid. The passenger 
was also sick, but not so much so as the mate. I was not very 
ill, but felt a burning sensation in my mouth and throat for sev- 
eral hours afterwards. Upon examining the scales and intes- 
tines of the fish, and the knife with which it was cleaned, we 
found them of a deep greenish color, indicating that the fish 
must have been very poisonous. What it was I know not, but 
it is remarkable that one of so small a size could poison three 
persons. 

During the remainder of this day we had light breezes from 
the/W., and fine weather. "We only made about 100 miles on 
our course through these twenty-four hours. At noon our lat. 
by obs. was 4-7° 56' S., long. 78° If W. 

From the 17th of February to the 22d we had light winds 
from the southward and westward, and generally good weather ; 
which daily became more bland and pleasant, as we approached 
lower latitudes. "We met with nothing worth remarking du- 
ring the last five days. "We were now in lat. 38° 45' S., long. 
79° 29' W. 

Feb. %3d. — We had fresh breezes from the S. "W. and fine 
weather throughout these twenty-four hours, and made 166 



VOYAGE UST THE SCHOONER SEA-SEKPENT. 325 

miles distance to the northward. Lat. by obs. at noon, 36° 0' 
S., long, per chron. 79° 34/ W. 

Feb 24:th. — This day commenced with fine, fresh breezes 
from the southward, and very pleasant weather, which we sen- 
sibly enjoyed after getting through those tempestuous regions 
into the bright and gentle Pacific Ocean, which daily became 
more and more mild and tranquil. At 8 o'clock in the morn- 
ing we made the island of Massafuero bearing 1ST. 1ST. W., about 
eight leagues distant. At 11 a. m. it bore west, three leagues. 
This island lies in lat. 33° 45' S., long. 80° 38' W. It is a high, 
abrupt, rugged -looking place, about fifteen or twenty miles 
long and perhaps five or six broad. The shores are very steep, 
and I believe it is only accessible on the northwest side, in a 
little bay, where boats can land in good weather. It has no 
harbor, notwithstanding it was formerly a famous island for 
taking seal. Some twenty-five or thirty years ago, several good 
voyages were made by ships from New England, which took 
seal-skins from this island to Canton, in China, where they dis- 
posed of them, and returned to the United States richly laden 
with teas and other China goods. One of these voyages was 
made by a ship called the Neptune, commanded by Captain 
Daniel T. Green (in which were two young men belonging to 
my native town, from whom I obtained this information). This 
ship was owned in New Haven, Connecticut, took from this 
island fifty thousand seal-skins and sold them in Canton for $2 
each, and thence returned to New York in the year 1799, with 
a cargo of teas, silk goods, nankeens, &c. The owners and 
crew cleared by the voyage about $100,000. 

This trade was carried on for several years very advanta- 
geously, until at length all the seal were killed or driven away 
from the island. The sealing ships were then compelled to 
search for a new field, in distant seas and on lonely desert 
islands, where the seal had never been disturbed by man. 
When they first commenced killing seal at Massafuero, the 
animals were so tame and gentle that thousands were killed 
with clubs. These poor animals, unconscious of the danger, 
made no attempt to escape ; but in a few years after, they be- 
came so knowing and shy, that it was difficult to kill them, ex- 



326 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 

cept by stratagem. I have subsequently seen them in differ- 
ent places along the coast of Peru, and found them so extremely 
wild and timid that they would plunge into the water when ap- 
proached, and at this time it is very difficult to kill them, even 
with spears and muskets. 

This day we also saw and passed by Juan Fernandez. This 
island is not so high as Massafuero, but is more fertile and pro- 
ductive. It lies in latitude 33° 46' S., longitude 79° 6' W. It 
belongs to Chili, and is about 400 miles west of Valparaiso. It 
has a tolerable harbor on the south side, and has been lately 
used by the Chilian government as a sort of Botany Bay for state 
prisoners. It has become a place of general interest to the 
world from its having been made the locality of Robinson 
Crusoe's adventures, by De Foe. 

It was now one hundred days since we left New York, and 
we had still more than 1000 miles to sail before we could reach 
Lima, but as we expected to get into the S. E. trade-winds in a 
day or two from this time, I anticipated the remainder of the 
passage with pleasure. 

Feb. 25th. Throughout these twenty-four hours, we had 
fine breezes from the southward, and very pleasant weather. 
We were now sailing with a fair wind, with all our light sails 
set. Our little schooner was well adapted to these smooth seas 
and gentle breezes ; we made 190 miles during the last twenty- 
four hours, and were at noon in latitude 30° 23' S., longitude 
80° 28' W. 

Feb. 26th. Fresh breezes from the S. E., and clear, pleasant 
weather throughout these twenty-four hours. We had now 
taken the regular S. E. trades. It was delightful to sail before 
the wind in this mild climate and smooth sea (which is so 
appropriately called the Pacific Ocean), after having been buf- 
feted and tossed about off Cape Horn so long in so small a ves- 
sel. During the last twenty-four hours our little vessel made 
200 miles with perfect ease, and almost without shifting a 
single sail. Lat. by obs. at noon 27° 4' S., long. 80° 28' W. 

From the 26th of February to the 5th of March, we had a 
continuation of the S. E. trade-winds, and fine, pleasant weather, 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SEA-SERPENT. 327 

running constantly on our direct course, and daily making from 
150 to 200 miles. 

Our friendly birds, who had constantly followed us for the 
last fifty-six days, from the coast of Brazil and round Cape 
Horn, still kept about us. They were not so constantly near 
our vessel as before we came down into these mild latitudes, but 
made little excursions and then returned. I sometimes missed 
them for an hour or two, and feared, in two or three instances, 
that they had entirely left us and would no more return to cheer 
us, but to my agreeable surprise they always came, were at 
this time within a few yards of our stern, and appeared attached 
to our little bark and to the hands that occasionally fed them. 
They were indeed a great source of entertainment, and their 
fidelity was a constant theme of conversation and interest to 
us. 

March 5th, 1822. This day commenced with light winds 
from the S. E., and, as usual, fine, clear weather. At 4 o'clock 
in the afternoon we made the island of Lorenzo, bearing about 
1ST. E., 25 miles distant. At 8 in the evening we got near the 
island. It being too late to run into port, I concluded to stand 
off and on under its lee, and wait until daylight to run in and 
anchor. 

March 6th. We entered the Bay of Callao — the seaport of 
Lima — all well, after a passage of 110 days from ISTew York. 

It was not until we came to anchor that our little guardian 
birds left us, and flew out of the harbor. 

We found Callao and Lima in the hands of the patriots (as 
the natives of the country were called), and the Spanish army 
retreated to the interior ; of course, the blockade was raised, and 
the object of my voyage in a great measure defeated. 

I have before stated that we purchased this little, fast-sail- 
ing vessel in order to evade the blockade by superior sailing ; 
otherwise it would have been more advantageous to the owners 
to have bought a larger vessel at a less cost, and far more com- 
fortable for me to perforin a voyage round Cape Horn in such 
an one, than in a small pilot-boat schooner. 

After entering my vessel and going through the necessary 
forms at Callao, I forthwith proceeded up to Lima, presented 



328 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK SEA-SERPENT. 

my letters of introduction to several gentlemen, merchants re- 
siding in that city, and was not long in making an arrangement 
with Don Francisco X. Iscue, a respectable merchant, to take 
charge of my business, and act as my general agent and con- 
signee. Senor Iscue was a native of Old Spain, but was married 
to a lady born in Lima. He had an interesting family, was an 
honest, worthy man, and a very correct merchant. Through 
this gentleman I disposed of that part of my cargo which was 
at all adapted to the market, such as provisions, and a portion 
of my manufactured goods. All the butter sold at one dollar 
per lb. Flour was at this time selling at thirty dollars per bar- 
rel. Some articles of my cargo sold at an enormous profit, while 
many others would not bring prime cost. 

Soon after my arrival at Callao, the ship America, Captain 
De Koven, of New York, arrived with a full cargo of flour. I 
believe he brought about three thousand five hundred barrels, 
which were sold at a very great profit. To Captain De Koven 
I sold my quicksilver at invoice price, which amounted to about 
$3,500. ' 

As all communication was cut on" between Lima and the in- 
terior, I was unable to dispose of the quicksilver at any price, 
except to Captain De Koven. He was bound to Canton, and 
took the article at invoice price to dispose of it in China. I sub- 
sequently lent him $11,500 in dollars (which, together with the 
quicksilver, amounted to $15,000), and took his bill on the 
owners of the America, in New York, for the amount at sixty 
days' sight. The owners of the ship were Messrs. Hoyt & Tom, 
Elisha Tibbets, and Stephen Whitney. 

I soon had all my cargo transported to Lima, and in about 
twenty days after my arrival sold the schooner Sea-Serpent, for 
ten thousand five hundred dollars. Such goods as I could not 
dispose of at private sale I sold at public auction ; and on the 
6th of June, 1822, closed the accounts of the voyage, and I am 
sorry to add, made little or nothing for my owners. My own 
private adventure sold tolerably well ; and what with my 
wages, commissions, etc., I made for myself what is called a 
saving voyage. 

I waited about a fortnight for a passage to Panama, but was 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 329 

unable to obtain one. On the 15th of June I was offered the 
command of the fine Baltimore-built brig Dick, burthen 207 
tons, and only two years old. This vessel belonged to the 
Italian gentleman who came out as a passenger with me in the 
Sea-Serpent. He was desirous of employing the Dick in the 
coasting trade on the western coast of Chili and Peru. I was 
also glad of employment for a few months, until the sickly season 
had passed away in Panama and Chagres (having decided to 
return to the United States by the way of Panama and across 
the Isthmus of Darien to Chagres.) The Italian was an honest 
man, but, not having been bred a merchant, relied on me to 
manage the voyage. 

After I had disposed of the Sea-Serpent, I paid off the mates 
and seamen, allowed each of them two months' extra pay, accord- 
ing to law, and then procured nearly all of them situations on board 
other vessels. Both mates, when I left Callao, were pleasantly 
situated as officers on board of English vessels coasting between 
Chili and Peru. The seamen got good berths and generous 
wages ; so that none of my crew were left in distress or unpro- 
vided with employment. 

As the owner of the brig had decided to proceed with 
her down the coast of Peru to Truxillo and Pacasmayo, and 
there purchase a cargo of sugar, rice, and such other articles 
of provision as were then much wanted in Lima, I lost no time 
in shipping officers and seamen, and getting ready for the voy- 
age, which, under ordinary circumstances, would require about 
two months to perform. On the 28th of July we were ready 
for sea. 

Callao is the seaport of Lima, and lies in lat. 12° 2' S., long. 
77° 4' ~W\, seven or eight miles west of Lima. Callao is strongly 
protected by forts, castles and walls, with broad and wide ex- 
terior ditches. To a stranger, the castles at first view appear 
like a small walled city. Outside of these vast and expensive 
fortifications, there is a considerable number of houses, maga- 
zines, and shops, generally lying along the bay, and in some 
places, extending back perhaps a short quarter of a mile. 

This village is called Callao, and the fortifications, the 
Castles of Callao. The road between Lima and the port is level 

I 



330 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG DICK. 

and good. The port of Oallao is formed by a bay, which is 
sheltered by its own points and the Island of St. Lorenzo, which 
lies at the south entrance, about eight or ten miles distant from 
the Castles. As I have no map or book before me, and write 
entirely from memory, I may, perhaps, make some little error 
in the distance, but not in the main facts. Callao Bay is a fine, 
broad, clear expanse of water, deep enough for a line-of -battle 
ship in almost any part of it ; and, on the whole, I should pro- 
nounce it a very safe and good harbor, particularly in this mild 
and gentle climate, where there are no violent gales or tem- 
pests. In this respect the inhabitants of this coast are favored 
beyond any part of the world I have ever visited. The oldest 
men in this country know nothing of a storm or a violent gale of 
wind ; so uniform is the wearier, that the Fahr. thermometer 
in Lima rarely varies more than six or eight degrees. It 
generally ranges between 75° and 80°. Although it is sometimes 
hot at noonday, the nights are cool and comfortable, owing to 
the snow and ice on the mountains not very far distant in the 
interior. When Peru was a colony of Spain, Lima was a popu- 
lous and comparatively rich city ; but, in consequence of con- 
tinued wars and revolutions, it has become poor. For the last- 
eight years there had been a constant demand for young men to 
join the armies, which rendered the population less than it 
was previously. The city of Lima, the capital of Peru, lies about 
seven miles from the sea, and is pleasantly situated at the foot 
of the Cordilleras. The little river Kiniac takes its rise in the 
mountains, runs through the city, and supplies the inhabitants 
with an abundance of excellent water. Over this stream there 
is a fine stone bridge with six arches. On this bridge, and in 
recesses, are placed seats for the citizens, which renders it a 
favorite resort for the elite of the city. It is said, that before 
the revolution, Lima contained about eighty thousand inhabit- 
ants ; at the time of which I write it numbered only about sixty 
thousand, exclusive of the military, who, I should judge, were 
about eight or ten thousand. There are several large churches 
and public buildings, which have rather an imposing ap- 
pearance. 

The cathedral in the centre of the city, which forms the east 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 331 

side of the Plaza Mayor, is the grand resort of all the better 
classes of people, and is a pleasant place, In consequence of 
the earthquakes to which Lima is subject, the houses are gener- 
ally built low, not often more than one or two stories high, of 
very slight materials, namely, dried clay and reeds, with a light 
coat of plaster, and then whitewashed or painted. I believe 
that if it should blow and rain a few hours as it does sometimes 
in the Bay of Honduras, the whole town would be washed away ; 
but, fortunately for the inhabitants, it never rains in the city. 
The high and long chain of Cordilleras in the interior acts as a 
perfect conductor for the clouds and storms. There only, the 
clouds break and the rain falls in torrents. It therefore becomes 
necessary, notwithstanding the heavy dews, to irrigate the fields 
and gardens in the neighborhood of Lima. 

The city is about two miles long, and one and a half broad. 
Through the principal streets water is conducted from the 
Bimac. This tends very much to cool and cleanse the town, 
which, if blessed with peace and a good government, would be 
a delightful city, bating an occasional alarm of earthquakes. 

A few weeks before my arrival, the Castles at Callao and 
the city of Lima, were vacated by the Spanish army and taken 
possession of by General St. Martin and Lord Cochran ; the 
former at the head of 8,000 or 10,000 Chilian and Peruvian 
troops, and the latter, the Admiral, commanding the Chilian 
squadron of two or three frigates and several smaller vessels. I 
believe there was very little fighting, but a kind of capitulation 
agreed upon between the parties. The Spanish army marched 
out and retreated into the interior, when the Patriot army took 
possession with little or no bloodshed. Still the inhabitants of 
Lima were, during the time I remained there, in constant dread 
of a return of the Spanish army. The city and its dependen- 
cies were daily agitated and unsettled, and the whole country 
was convulsed with war. The Government was almost daily 
making forced loans and contributions upon the inhabitants, 
which caused them to secrete their money for fear of its being 
taken from them. Every fine horse, belonging to private indi- 
viduals, was seized for the use of the army ; even the horses of 



332 VOYAGE IN THE BRIO DICK. 

foreigners were sometimes taken, but generally returned after 
a suitable remonstrance to the commanding officer. 

This has been rather a long digression, and I will again re- 
turn to my narrative. 

The brig Dick, under my command, was ready for sea on 
the 28th of July. Before sailing, I wrote the particulars of the 
voyage to my owners, and also to my family up to this date, 
and the next day sailed for Truxillo, with the owner of the brig 
on board. 

It was 6 o'clock in the evening when we got under way ; 
had light winds from the S. E., and foggy weather during the 
night, and ran to the leeward under easy sail until daylight. 

July 30th. — During the first and middle part of these twen- 
ty-four hours, we had a continuation of light winds and thick 
weather. After running about fifty-six miles log distance, it 
lighted up, when we found ourselves in mid channel between 
the Islands of Mazorque and Pelada, which are about two 
leagues asunder. 

~No observation of the sun, it being obscured by fog. 

31st. — "First and middle part of these twenty-four hours light 
breezes from the S. E., with a continuation of cloudy weather. 
At 11 o'clock in the forenoon, we passed a schooner beating up 
the coast. We set our ensign, and indicated our wish to speak 
him, but the unsocial fellow would not shorten sail, and ap- 
peared to avoid us. At noon saw a ship running down to the 
westward. We continued to run along-shore to the northward, 
and made about 100 miles by the log. At noon our lat. by obs. 
was 10° 29' S., long, about 77° 50' W. 

Aug. 1st. — At 1 o'clock in the afternoon we saw the land, 
bearing E. S. E. eight or ten leagues distant. We had light 
breezes and calm weather and only made ninety-six miles, run- 
ning down along the land, generally at a distance of ten leagues. 
Lat. by obs. at noon 9° 14/ S. 

Aug. 2d. — Light airs from the S. E., and clear, pleasant 
weather. At 12, midnight, hove to and lay by until 3 a. m., 
daylight, when we made sail. At 5 in the morning, saw the 
island of G-uanap, bearing S. E. about four miles distant. We 
then hauled in shore. Brisk breezes at S. E. and fine, clear, 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 333 

pleasant weather. At 10 o'clock in the forenoon, the city of 
Truxillo bore east, and in half an hour afterwards we came to 
anchor at Guanchaco, in seven fathoms of water ; the church at 
that place bearing E. by N. about a league distant. This is 
an Indian village situated on the beach, and the seaport of 
Truxillo. It lies in lat. 8° 8' S., long, about 79° 0' west of 
London. 

I should perhaps rather have called Guanchaco the road- 
stead or anchoring ground of Truxillo, for it certainly cannot 
properly be called a harbor. It is open to the broad ocean, and 
has nothing to shelter ships that touch or trade on this part of 
the coast. The Indians who live in the village of Guanchaco 
are expert boatmen, and with their own boats transport all the 
goods and merchandise landed at that port for Truxillo, or ex- 
ported therefrom. They are perhaps 500 to 800 in number, 
governed by their own alcalde and under officers, and live almost 
entirely by boating and fishing. The ships that touch here cannot 
with any safety use their own boats, and always employ the 
boats or canoes of the Indians, the surf being too high to ven- 
ture off and on without the aid of these men, who are almost 
amphibious. They are trained to swimming from their infancy, 
and commence with a small " Balsa," in the surf within the 
reefs, and by degrees, as they grow older and larger venture 
through the surf, and out upon the broad ocean. These 
" Balsas " are made of reeds bound firmly together, with a 
hole near the after end, for one person ; the forward end is ta- 
pered, and turned up like a skate or a Turkish shoe. Those for 
children are perhaps from five to eight feet long, and those 
used by the men generally about ten or twelve, and about as 
large in circumference as a small-sized barrel. An Indian 
placed in one of these Balsas with a paddle, bids defiance to 
the roaring billows and breaking surf. I have seen the men go off 
through it in one of these reedy boats, when it seemed impossible 
that a human being could live, and have with great anxiety ob- 
served them when a high rolling sea threatened to overwhelm 
them, watch the approaching roller, duck their heads down 
close to the reed boat, let the billow pass over them, like a seal 
or a wild duck, and force their way with perfect confidence 



334: VOYAGE IN THE BKIG DICK. 

through the surf, where no white man would for a moment 
dare to venture. One of these men would, for half a dollar, 
convey a letter from the shore through the surf, to a ship lying 
at anchor in the Roads, when no boat dare attempt it. I was 
told that for a small sum of money, one of these Indians would 
take a valuable piece of silk goods (secured in oiled cloth and 
fastened round his body) on shore, and deliver it to the owner 
perfectly dry, even in a dark night. .The moment they land, 
they take up the " Balsa," place it in an upright position in the 
sun to drain and dry, and thus it is kept ready at a moment's 
warning for any employment that may offer. 

While here, I used sometimes to amuse myself with throw- 
ing small pieces of copper coin into the water, to see the Indian 
boys dive to the bottom and pick them up. I never could learn 
that any of these Indians were drowned, though the people of 
Truxillo told us of many accidents, when white men lost their 
lives in attempting to land in a high surf. 

The morning we arrived at Guanchaco, there came in also 
an English ship from Lima, and anchored near our brig. Yery 
soon after, a large launch, manned with nine Indians, came 
alongside of us, to take the captains, supercargoes and passen- 
gers of both vessels on shore. As there was considerable surf 
on, great anxiety was expressed by the supercargoes and pas- 
sengers respecting the safety of landing. I had a conversation 
with the patroon of the boat, on the subject of landing. He 
said that if we would commit ourselves entirely into his hands, 
there was no danger ; and that he supposed the gentlemen 
would be willing to pay half a dollar each, if landed dry and in 
perfect safety. This we all readily agreed to, and soon started 
for the shore. I think we were five in number ; and as we ap- 
proached the shore, a few yards outside the surf, the sea was 
terrific, and breaking " feather white." Some of the gentlemen 
were in favor of returning, but were soon overruled by the ma- 
jority. I attentively watched the eye of the patroon, who ap- 
peared cool and collected, and, by his manner, inspired me with 
confidence in his ability to perform what he had undertaken. 
He requested the gentlemen who feared the result, not to sur- 
vey the. scene, but to lie down in the stern-sheets of the boat, 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 335 

and thus give him room to manage the boat according to his 
own judgment. At this moment, I saw a man on the beach, on 
the watch for a favorable instant for us to pull for the shore. 
He and our patroon made- signals with a handkerchief on a 
cane. The boat's head was kept off shore until the signal was 
given and answered, to dash through the surf. In an instant, 
the boat was wheeled round with her head towards the land, 
when every man pulled to the utmost of his strength, and in a 
few minutes we were safe within the breakers. These strong, 
brave fellows, then took each a passenger on his back, and car- 
ried him ashore in great triumph. We were all so sensibly 
touched with the conduct of these men, that many dollars were 
voluntarily thrown into their hats and caps ; and a thrill of 
gratitude passed over my mind, that will remain with me till 
the hour of my death. We call these people savages, and say 
that they are incapable of great actions. I defy the white man 
to contend with them in the management of a boat in the surf, 
on the sea-shore. 

The alcalde furnished us with horses, and we were soon on 
the road to the city of Truxillo, which is pleasantly situated on 
level ground, about eight or ten miles from the landing at 
Guanchaco. I think it contained, at this time, about eight or 
ten thousand inhabitants. There are two or three considerable 
churches ; many of the houses are well built, and have a com- 
fortable appearance. The ground and gardens around the city 
are well cultivated, and produce an abundance of excellent 
fruit ; and the whole aspect of the town and its vicinity is ex- 
tremely pleasant. Although this place is located so near the 
equator, the climate is not uncomfortably warm. There is, 
however, a great drawback to a residence in this place in the 
frequency of earthquakes. I was told by some of the most re- 
spectable citizens of Truxillo, that the town had been two or 
three times nearly destroyed by them, and that the great earth- 
quakes were generally periodical — say at intervals of forty years 
— that some thirty years had now passed away without a very 
destructive one, and that they had serious fears they should 
experience another terrible convulsion before many years should 
elapse. 



336 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 

We found here no sugars or other produce to purchase, nor 
could we hear of any of consequence in the neighboring towns 
to leeward. Two vessels from Lima had lately been here, and 
to the adjacent towns, and bought up all the inhabitants had to 
dispose of. 

After remaining here a few days, my owner and myself re- 
turned to Guanchaco, without making any purchases, except 
some poultry and fruit for sea stores. 

On our way back to the landing, we passed over very ex- 
tensive ruins, which appeared at least two miles in length ; they 
were the remains of clay walls, and various fragments of what 
had once been an extensive city of the Incas. We saw also a 
large mound near Guanchaco. It was 50 to 80 feet high, and, 
perhaps, from 150 to 200 feet long. These mounds were no 
doubt made by the ancient Peruvians, and are found all along 
this coast. Some of them are very high and large, others quite 
small. I have seen a great variety of Indian relics, that were 
dug out from these mounds, such as earthen drinking vessels, 
made to resemble cats, dogs, monkeys, and other animals; 
others, again, were made exactly to resemble a fish, with a 
handle on its back, and its mouth open to drink from. These 
articles were well executed, and of very fine clay. The present 
race of Peruvians are altogether incapable of manufacturing 
any thing of the kind equal to these ancient Indian relics. I 
have no doubt, if these mounds were fairly excavated, that a 
great variety of valuable Indian relics could be found, which 
are now hidden from the world. 

We arrived at the landing on Thursday, Aug. 8th, in the 
afternoon, found too much surf on the beach to attempt going 
on board until the next morning, and as there was no hotel or 
tavern in Guanchaco, took up our abode for the night with 
the alcalde or chief magistrate of the village. This person was 
an intelligent Indian, who had in early life made several voy- 
ages to Manilla, and appeared familiar with all parts of the 
western coast of Peru. He seemed to be a sensible, judicious 
person, and managed and governed the people of Guanchaco in 
a quiet, paternal manner. During the evening, he entertained 
us with a narration of his voyages from Peru to the Philippine 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 337 

Islands, when Peru was a colony of Spain. He also related to 
us many anecdotes of his race, the ancient and rightful owners 
of this blood-stained soil. 

The high mounds all along this part of the coast appear 
to be monuments of their wrosgs and sufferings, and call to 
mind the days when Pizarro, with his band of merciless ad- 
venturers, sacrificed thousands and tens of thousands of these 
innocent worshippers of the sun, robbed them of their gold, 
and finally despoiled them of home and country. Even to 
the present day, these poor people are not exempt from severe 
persecutions in the way of taxation and oppression. They 
are now forcibly taken from their quiet homes to fill the ranks 
led by military chiefs, and thus compelled to mingle in the 
deadly strife of contending parties. "Whether the one or the 
other governs, it is to them only a change of masters, for they 
cannot be supposed to feel any interest for, or sympathy with, 
either of them. And thus it has ever been in this wicked 
and unjust world — the strong triumph over and oppress the 
weak. 

When the Spaniards under the command of Pizarro overran 
and conquered Peru in 1554, the capital of the great Inca was 
Cuzco. Here he resided in princely magnificence, and was al- 
most worshipped by his subjects. Notwithstanding his great 
distance from the ocean, some seventy or eighty leagues, the 
story is common throughout this part of the country, that he 
was in the habit of eating fresh fish for his dinner daily taken 
from the sea. The order of proceedings was as follows. As 
soon as the fish were caught, they were placed in a basket and 
handed to a runner, who conveyed them some ten or fifteen 
miles and then committed them to the care of another, who gave 
them to a third, and so on to the capital. In this way the dis- 
tance was soon traversed. 

This mode of transportation is still prevalent in the moun- 
tainous parts of Peru. The runners are principally Indians. 
They carry the mails, and convey from one point to another, 
valuable and important articles of every description. 

The good alcalde had supper prepared for us, and placed 
mattresses and blankets on the tables for Mr. B. and myself. 
22 



338 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 

Previous to retiring to rest I took a stroll round the house, and 
saw, beneath a shed or back piazza, three of the alcalde's chil- 
dren, little boys, I should judge, between three and ten years old, 
lying asleep on a raw, dry bullock's hide, covered only with 
another. The air was chilly, and it struck me at the moment 
as inhuman treatment to expose children thus to the open air 
without other covering than a raw hide. I immediately in- 
quired of our friendly host why he thus exposed them. His 
answer was, that it was their general custom to harden and give 
them good constitutions ; that he himself was brought up in the 
same manner ; and being thus inured to the cold while young, 
they felt no inconvenience from it in after life. 

In the morning, the sea was smooth, and the surf not bad. 
After taking leave of the polite and friendly alcalde, we left 
Guanchaco in the Indian launch, got safe on board, and at 3 
o'clock on the 9th of August, weighed anchor and made sail for 
Payta. 

After getting our anchor on board, we found the stock 
broken in two pieces, and thus rendered unfit for use. We 
steered to the westward along shore with a fresh S. E. trade- 
wind and pleasant weather. Through the night we had mode - 
rate breezes and a continuation of fine weather. At 5 o'clock 
in the morning, daylight, saw the islands of Lobos de Mer and 
Lobos de Terra, bearing S. W., three leagues distant. They are 
of moderate height, and without trees or cultivation. Towards 
noon, the winds became light, inclining to a calm. Lat. by obs. 
6° 32' S., long, about 81° W. 

On the 10th, we had light winds and fine weather, and made 
but little progress on our course during the day, still steering 
down along shore with the land in sight. 

Aug. 11th. — This day, like the last, commenced with light 
airs and calm, warm weather. At 8 p. m., Point de Ajuga 
bore E., two leagues distant. At daylight, saw Point de Payta, 
bearing 1ST. E., eight leagues distant ; at 8, got near the Point, 
and steered up the bay of Payta. At 11, a breeze sprung up 
from the S. E., when we ran up the bay and came to anchor at 
noon, in nine fathoms of water, directly opposite the town. We 
had little or no cargo to dispose of, and as there was no freight 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 339 

to be obtained, we remained here only twenty-four hours, and 
got ready for sea. 

Payta is situated on a fine bay of the same name, and is the 
principal seaport of Puira, a very considerable town in the in- 
terior, some ten or fifteen leagues distant from this place. 

The town of Payta is located very near the beach, and the 
whole surrounding country, for some miles distant, is a barren, 
sandy desert, not even affording fresh water. The inhabitants 
are supplied with this article, brought from a little river running 
into the head of the bay, at a distance of six or eight miles. 
The town probably contains about 1,500 to 2,000 inhabitants 
of all colors ; a great portion, however, are Indians, and a mix- 
ture of the Spanish and Indian races. 

The houses are generally built of cane and straw, with 
thatched roofs. It is a very healthy place, and the people, 
who are generally poor, live to a great age. It lies in lat. 5° 
3' S., long. 81° W. of London, and is one of the best harbors 
on the western coast of Peru. It is a great resort for American 
and English whale ships. The bay of Payta is large and clean ; 
and, I believe, the whalers send their boats to the little river at 
its head, and soon get a bountiful supply of pure, wholesome 
water; at the same time, the ships are safe and quiet while 
they remain in this capacious bay. 

At two o'clock in the afternoon of the 12th, with a fine, 
fresh S. E. trade-wind, we sailed out of this bay, bound for 
Guayaquil. At 6 p. m., got abreast of Point de Parina % about a 
league off shore ; at the same time saw Cape Blanco bearing 1ST. 
£ E., twenty-four miles distant. During the night we had fresh 
breezes, with a little rain. At 6 a. m., saw the land bearing 
from S. W. to N". E., five or six leagues distant. Lat. by obs. 
at noon, 3° 37' S. At this time Point Los Picos bore S. E., 
distant about four leagues. 

August 13th. — This day commenced with light airs from 
the south, with very warm weather. At 4 p. m., passed near 
the American whale ship Rosalie, of Warren, R. L. which 
was lying at anchor near Tumbes. This ship had been thirteen 
months absent from the United States, and had only taken 200 
barrels of oil. 



340 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG DICK. 

At 8 p.m., we came to anchor in five fathoms of water, near 
the mouth of the Tumbes river, the small Island of Santa Clara 
bearing N. by W., distant about four leagues. Light wind at 
1ST. E. Here we lay at anchor all night. 

August 14:th. — This day commenced with light breezes from 
the JST. E. and fine weather. At 8 a. m., got under way with a 
light wind from the IN". W. by X. The tide now commenced 
making up the river, which enabled us to gain ground, beating 
up with its assistance until noon, when the wind became more 
favorable, from the W. S. W. At 3 p. m., got abreast of the 
west end of the Island of Puna ; pleasant breezes and fine 
weather. 

At 7 p. M., we came to anchor in four and a half fathoms of 
water; the east end of Puna then bearing K. N. W., four 
leagues distant. It being dark, and having no pilot on board, I 
judged it imprudent to make sail, and therefore remained at 
anchor during the night. 

August 15th. — This day commenced with clear, pleasant 
weather, with light winds and variable. At six a. m., received a 
pilot on board, at 8 got under way with the flood tide and stood 
up the river, which had now become more narrow, but was still 
deep and not difficult to ascend. The banks along the river, on 
both sides, are low ; but the land rises as you recede from the 
river into the interior to immense mountains, many of which are 
volcanic. We continued to beat up the stream, and at 6 p. m., 
just before dark, came to anchor in the river opposite the city 
of Guayaquil in six fathoms of water, a short quarter of a mile 
off the town. 

It is about forty miles from Guayaquil to the Island of Puna, 
where the river pilots reside, and it is at this place that the 
river fairly commences, for below Puna it may more properly 
be called a wide bay or gulf opening into the sea. 

We found lying at Guayaquil some fifteen or twenty sail of 
vessels of different nations, four or five of which were American 
ships and brigs, among them the ship Canton, of New York, 
and the brig Canton, of Boston. The names of the others I do 
not now recollect. 

After lying here a few days, undecided what to do with or 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG DICK. 341 

how to employ the brig, my owner, on the 22d of August, sold 
his vessel, for $14,000, to John O'Sullivan, Esq., captain and 
supercargo of the ship Canton. Captain O'Sullivan gave the 
command of the brig to Lieutenant, now Captain Hudson, of 
the U. S. Navy. 

Lieutenant Hudson was, at that period, an active, vigilant 
young officer and a good seaman. From that time to the pres- 
ent date, 1858, he has been gradually rising in his profession, 
and almost constantly employed in active service. He was 
second in command with Captain Wilkes in the Exploring Ex- 
pedition in the Southern hemisphere, in which service he ac- 
quired great eclat as a meritorious officer. Last year, he was 
selected by the government to command the United States 
Frigate " Niagara," to lay the telegraphic cable between Eng- 
land and the United States.* Captain Hudson has risen to dis- 
tinction entirely by his own merit, is highly beloved and es- 
teemed by all who know him in his native place, Brooklyn, 
New York, and it is with sincere pleasure that the author of 
these Voyages ranks Captain H. as one of his personal friends. 

Captain O'Sullivan loaded the Canton in this port for a voy- 
age to Upper Peru. At this time there were lying at Guayaquil 
two large Calcutta ships, with cargoes of Indian goods. 

From these ships, Captain O'Sullivan purchased the greater 
part of a cargo for the Dick. The balance was made up of 
cocoa, and a few other articles. Myself, officers and crew, were 
paid off, and left the vessel in charge of the new owners. 

I was anxious to return home to New York, and of course 
did not regret being sold out of employment. I had long been 
acquainted with Captain O'Sullivan, and was glad to meet him 
here. I also met with another acquaintance in the person of 
Francis Coffin, Esq., supercargo of the brig Canton. 

Mr. C. got a fine freight of cocoa for Cadiz. I think it 
amounted to $17,500. I was glad to have good fortune attend 
him, as he was, and is, if alive, an honorable, gentlemanly man, 
of sterling worth and high integrity. 

* Capt. Hudson was despatched a second time, for the same purpose, this year, and 
on the 5th of August, 1858, while this volume is passing through the press, arrived 
in the Niagara at Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, after successfully laying his half of the 
telegraphic cable. By tins act he has perpetuated his name to the latest posterity. 



342 VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 

I was now living on shore, anxiously waiting a passage for 
Panama, to return home across the Isthmus. Captain O'Sulli- 
van had with him three or four young gentlemen, belonging to 
New York. These young men joined the ship Canton, in New 
York, as ordinary seamen, but not liking a sea life were anxious 
to return home. Captain O'Sullivan gave two of them liberty 
to leave the ship, but would not supply them with money. He 
told me, however, that if I thought proper to take them along 
with me, that he had no doubt their friends in ISTew York would 
refund the money I should expend in paying their passages 
back to the. United States. As they were here destitute, I con- 
sented to take them, pay their passages and other necessary 
expenses to JSTew York, and rely upon the honor of their fam- 
ilies to refund me the amount when we should arrive there. 

After waiting a few days, we heard of a small coasting ves- 
sel which was shortly to leave this place for Panama. She was 
a full-rigged brig, of about twenty -five tons burthen, with a cap- 
tain, boatswain, and eight men before the mast. A vessel of the 
same size in the United States would have been sloop-rigged, 
and provided with a captain, one man and a boy. In this ves- 
sel I agreed for a passage to Panama for myself and my two 
young American friends. This brig was called Los dos JSer- 
manos. There were two other (Guayaquil gentlemen) passengers, 
besides myself and the before-named young men, who agreed to 
sleep on deck ; as I paid one hundred dollars for my passage, I 
was supplied with a berth in the cabin, if it deserved the name, 
for, in fact, it was more like a dog's kennel than a cabin. It 
had no windows or sky-light, was nearly filled with bags and 
boxes, had only two berths, and no table. The two passengers 
belonging to Guayaquil occupied one of the berths, and I the 
other. 

Guayaquil lies in lat. 2° 12' S., long. 79° 42' W., and is 
about one hundred and fifty miles to the southward of Quito. 
The city of Guayaquil lies on the right bank of the river, and 
contains about 20,000 inhabitants ; and, although built of wood, 
a great portion of the houses are large, comfortable and well 
adapted to the climate. Several of the public buildings are 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 343 

spacious and firmly built, with tiled roofs, among which are the 
custom-house, college, and hospital. The city is located on 
low, level ground, and, of course, difficult to drain, which, at 
certain seasons of the year, renders it very unhealthy. The edu- 
cated classes of society are polite and hospitable. The ladies 
dress in good taste, and are decidedly the handsomest women 
on the western coast of this continent ; in fact, the beauty of the 
Guayaquil ladies is proverbial. The lower classes are a des- 
perate looking race. They are a mixture of the Spaniard, In- 
dian and Negro, and appear ripe for any kind of villany or 
disorder. 

The principal wealth of Guayaquil proceeds from the culti- 
vation of cocoa, which is their staple article. They also export 
timber, boards, hides and some tobacco. The cocoa planta- 
tions lie on both sides of the river for several miles above the 
city. It is brought to Guayaquil upon floating rafts of light, 
buoyant wood, called in this country Balzas, which are in 
general use for all kinds of transportation. Many of the poorer 
classes live upon them. They float up and down the river with 
perfect ease and safety. In them the cocoa is taken on board 
of the ships that load here. On these Balzas they erect tents 
and awnings, and thus protect themselves and their cargoes 
from the sun and rain. Along the river, and thence down to 
the sea- coast, the land is very flat, and in the rainy seasons a great 
portion of the low grounds are inundated ; consequently, the 
inhabitants in such places build their houses on large timbers, 
or posts, some eight or ten feet above the ground, and find it 
necessary to have ladders to get into them. "When flooded in 
the rainy seasons, they pass from house to house in boats. 

In this warm latitude, where the sun is nearly vertical, the 
weather is generally very hot, and the vegetation extremely 
luxuriant and rank ; consequently none but those born and 
reared in this climate can reside in these low lands on the 
banks of the rivers and creeks, with any degree of safety. 

To the eastward, some ten or fifteen leagues in the interior, 
you behold lofty mountains rising one above another, until at 
last the eye rests on the majestic Chimborazo.- There it stands, 



344 VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOKE. 

a mountain on the top of other mountains, terminating in a lofty, 
sugar-loaf, snow-capped peak, alone, in its own grand and un- 
rivalled sublimity" ; and although some seventy-five or eighty 
miles from Guayaquil, appears as though it were within a very 
short distance. This grand sight, however, is not an every-day 
occurrence. On the contrary, one may remain at Guayaquil 
for several days, and even weeks, without getting a good view 
of the peak. When the clouds are disjDelled, you behold the 
whole mountain, from the base to the top, in all its beauty and 
grandeur. The sight of this sublime object richly rewards 
the traveller for the expense and privation of coming to this 
country. 

While I remained here the weather was extremely warm, 
and one can easily imagine that to be supplied with ice and 
ice-cream must have been a most acceptable luxury, and so we 
found it. As often as once or twice a week, I saw a flag 
hoisted at a favorite cafe, as a signal for ice and ice-cream for 
sale, announcing at the same time that some one had arrived 
from the mountains in the interior with a supply of ice, which 
was soon converted into excellent cream. 

Guayaquil is supplied with great quantities of excellent 
fruit, common to tropical regions. Pine-apjjles are very abun- 
dant and cheap, as are oranges, bananas and plantains. Water 
and musk melons are also cheap and plenty. The beef and 
mutton, as in most other hot climates, are indifferent, and the 
beef appears even worse than it otherwise would do, in conse- 
quence of the slovenly manner of cutting it up. They do not 
dress it as in other countries, but tear and cut the flesh from oft" 
the bone of the animal in strings, and sell it by the yard or 
" vara." As this is the first and only place in which I ever 
bought beef by the yard, I thought it worthy of notice in my 
narrative. 

About noon, on the 31st of August, the captain of the brig 
" Los dos Hermanos " sent me word that he was ready for sea, 
and wished all his passengers to repair on board forthwith. 
Not having much baggage to look after, I took leave of the few 
friends I had in Guayaquil, and hurried on board. On our way 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 345 

to the brig, we passed through the market, and purchased a 
large quantity of fruit for sea-stores. Among other things, I 
purchased some twenty or thirty large water-melons, which I 
found preferable to every kind of fruit. I never shall forget 
how gratefully refreshing we found them on a hot, calm morn- 
ing, under a vertical sun, with the thermometer at 85° above 
zero. 

We did not leave the town until 3 o'clock in the afternoon ; 
and, as the wind was light and variable, we drifted slowly down 
the river with the ebb tide, until about 10, when it became quite 
dark, and we anchored for the night. Here again I was pleased 
with what to me was a novel occurrence. Far away to the 
eastward, in the interior, I saw a great light and innumerable 
sparks of fire, which illuminated the sky, so as to render the 
scene vivid and beautiful. Upon inquiry, I found it was a burn- 
ing volcano, at a great distance in the interior. It appeared to 
be some thirty or forty miles distant, while it was, in fact, per- 
haps fifty leagues off. 

The next morning, at daylight, September 1st, we got under 
way, and made a short cut to the sea, through a passage to the 
northward of the island of Puna. Our brig drew very little 
water, and we were therefore able to pass through small rivers 
and creeks where larger vessels dare not venture. 

I soon discovered that our captain was a vain, ignorant, su- 
perstitious man, and knew nothing of navigation. Fortunately 
for us, however, our contramaestre, or boatswain, was a good 
seaman and an excellent pilot. He was a native of Old Spain, 
and though deficient in education, was a discreet, respectable 
man. He disciplined and managed the crew, and left little or 
nothing for the captain to do, but eat, drink, smoke and sleep. 
The man was only an apology for a captain, and was in the 
habit of following the land along shore on his voyages between 
Guayaquil and Panama : whereas, in lieu of making a straight 
course, he prolonged his passage to double the number of days 
necessary. I had with me a quadrant and many charts of the 
western coast, from Guayaquil to Panama, on a large scale, and 
politely pointed out to him the true and straight course. I say 
politely, for I have ever found, that with the ignorant and su- 



/ 



34:6 VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 

perstitious of all nations, the greatest possible caution and deli- 
cacy must be observed when advising them, otherwise their 
self-love and jealousy take fire, and they become your enemies. 

This vulgar captain at first inclined to adhere to his own 
opinion, — said he had navigated this part of the coast for many 
years, and always with success, and was afraid of sudden chan- 
ges. His countrymen, the two passengers, however, fell in with 
me, and persuaded him to follow my advice, and endeavor to 
shorten the distance of the passage. The two passengers alluded 
to were merchants, or shop-keepers, who visited Panama occa- 
sionally to purchase and sell goods, and on their way up and 
down, used to touch at a small place called Monte Christi, to 
trade, and to this place we were now bound on our way to 
Panama. 

There were five passengers, — making, with officers and crew, 
a total of fifteen souls on board the " Dos Hermanos " — all of 
whom lived on deck, night and day, except the two Guayaquil 
traders and myself. The contramaestre had the entire manage- 
ment of the vessel, and appeared to be always on the watch, 
both by night and day. The sailors were not divided into 
watches, as is the custom on board of vessels of other nations, 
but all slept in the long-boat on deck, on a dry ox-hide, with 
another spread over them. Whenever it was necessary to make 
or take in sail, they were all called ; and when the work was 
done, all lay down to sleep again. They appeared to work with 
alacrity, and were always ready to obey the boatswain without 
grumbling. "We had been out but a few days before we en- 
countered much hot, rainy weather. At these times our situa- 
tion, in the little hole of a cabin, was deplorable. "When it 
rained violently, a large tarpaulin was spread over the compan- 
ion-way to keep the cabin dry. On such occasions, particularly 
in the night, the captain and the deck-passengers would crawl 
in for shelter, and I was often obliged to leave my berth, and 
struggle through the crowd to get a little air at the door to pre- 
vent suffocation. 

We were provided with only two meals a day ; the first, 
called breakfast, at about 11 o'clock in the forenoon, was taken 
always on deck. This meal was either a fricassee or puchero, 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 347 

with bread and a little common, low Catalonia wine. The 
other meal we generally had at four or five o'clock in the after- 
noon, and it was composed of about the same in quality, served 
up in one large dish placed in the centre of the quarter-deck. 
Our polite captain always helped himself first, and then ad- 
vised everybody to do the same. The food of the sailors on the 
main-deck consisted of plantain and charque or dried beef. 
Thus situated, we passed some days, creeping along at a snail's 
pace, and making but little progress on our course, with varia- 
ble winds, and very hot, calm weather. 

On Sunday, Sept. 5th, at daylight in the morning, we ran 
into the little bay of Monte Christi, and came to anchor very 
near the shore, in three fathoms of water. 

This is a clean little bay, with a fine sand beach, and a few 
small houses, called ranchos, at the landing. The town of 
Monte Christi is located three or four miles inland from the 
port, in an easterly direction. This lonely little harbor lies in 
lat. 1° 1' S.j long. 80° 32' W. of London. It was quire des- 
titute of shipping, there being no vessel there except our little 
brig. We procured horses from the rancheros at the landing, 
and soon galloped over a pleasant road, to the town. It being 
Sunday morning, the whole town, or as the French say, " tout 
le monde," were decked out in their holiday dresses. Our cap- 
tain and the two Guayaquil traders had planned a great deal of 
business for the day, and were very impatient to attend mass, 
that they might proceed to its execution afterwards. Accord- 
ingly, we left our horses at a poor little posada, and then hurried 
to the church. I went with them near the door, and after hav- 
ing excused myself for leaving them, took a stroll about the 
town. Everybody appeared to be on the move towards the 
church, arrayed in gaudy dresses, of bright red and yellow 
colors. These simple people seemed as fond of displaying 
their gay attire as children decked out in their holiday suits. 

After a little survey of the town, I entered a house for 
some water, when the following dialogue occurred between the 
master of the house and myself. After presenting me with a 
chair and giving me a welcome reception, he said, " I suppose 
you landed this morning from the brigantine, on your way to 



348 VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOKK. 

Panama ?" " Yes, I did so," I replied. " The captain and the 
passengers have all gone to mass, how is it that you did not go 
also — are you not a Christian ?" I answered I was, but having 
a very imperfect knowledge of the Spanish language, I pre- 
ferred walking about the town. I then took the same liberty 
with him, and inquired why he did not go. He replied that 
he attended early mass, and was always very attentive to his 
religious duties. He then questioned me on the religious faith 
and belief of my countrymen in England. I told him I was 
not from that country, but from North America. He then 
called me an Anglo Americano, and seemed to have a confused 
idea that we were the descendants of the English, lived in a 
distant region of which very little was known, and inquired 
whether our belief and faith was the same as that of the English ; 
that he had always been told that they were all heretics and un- 
believers. I told him the religion of the two countries was about 
the same, that neither of them were heretics or unbelievers. 
He expressed great surprise, and then asked me if we believed 
in " el Padre et Hijo y el Espiritu Santo." On my answering 
him in the affirmative, he appeared still more astonished, and 
said, then he had always been greatly deceived, that he had 
from his childhood been told by the priests and friars that the 
English were all infidels, and did not believe in the Trinity, nor 
yet in the "Holy Mother of God, the pure and holy Yirgin 
Mary." I then told him there was certainly a great difference 
between the belief of his countrymen and mine, on the subject 
of worship due to the Yirgin Mary, and holy reverence to a 
great many saints, but that the greater part of the churches, 
both in England and North America, professed to believe in the 
Trinity. He appeared very well satisfied with my explanation, 
said he had no doubt we had been misrepresented and slan- 
dered; and that he would inquire farther into the subject from 
the first intelligent Englishman he should meet. 

"While I am on this subject, I will relate an anecdote that 
occurred one evening at the lodgings of Captain O'Sullivan, 
while I was at Guayaquil. Among other questions, the mis- 
tress of the house, a middle-aged, good looking lady, asked me 
whether there were any Jews in my country. I told her there 



VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 349 

were many. She then asked me what they looked like, and 
whether they had tails. I was for a moment surprised, thought 
she was jesting, and hardly knew how to answer, — when she 
observed, that she had always been told that Jews were 
strange-looking creatures, and had long tails like cows hanging 
down behind them. She said she came to Guayaquil about 
two years before, from a village in the interior of Colombia, 
and that from her infancy she had been always told by the 
priests, that Jews had tails, and were odious, frightful-looking 
creatures. I was astonished at her simple ignorance, for she 
was not one of the lower order, but a woman of polite man- 
ners, and spoke the Spanish language with ease and grace. 

I have related these two incidents from a thousand other 
similar ones, that have come under my observation while 
travelling about South America, not with a view of exposing 
the ignorance of these honest, simple-hearted people, as objects 
of ridicule, but to hold up to the world the wickedness of these 
vile priests and friars, who delude and darken the minds of 
unfortunate beings, who are the subjects of their cunning 
priestcraft. In the United States, we abhor the military despot 
who enslaves and chains the body ; but is not the man w T ho 
darkens and enslaves the mind, ten times more guilty than the 
military despot ? I can overlook with some degree of patience 
a great many faults and superstitious prejudices in the unedu- 
cated and ignorant, but have very little patience or charity for 
these vile leaders of the blind, who know better than to prey 
upon the ignorance and credulity of their fellow-men, either in 
matters of church or state. The wicked policy of keeping man- 
kind in ignorance, in order to profit by their want of knowledge, 
cannot but excite the indignation of all those who love their 
fellow-men. 

Monte Christi is situated on an undulating surface, moder- 
ately high, with one considerable church located on rising 
ground, in the centre of the town, which probably contains 
about 1,500 inhabitants. The houses are generally one story 
high, and built of sun-dried brick ; some, however, are two sto- 
ries, and have tile roofs. 

The weather here is so hot that the inhabitants keep within 



350 VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOEK. 

doors during the middle of the day. In the evening it becomes 
cool and pleasant. This town and its vicinity, like most other 
places near the equator, are subject to periodical wet and dry 
seasons. During the heavy rains, many of the people remove 
to the hills, taking their cattle and other domestic animals along 
with them ; and at the commencement of the dry season, return 
to their former habitations. I understood that the dry seasons 
last from December to April, and the wet during the rest of 
the year. 

My stay here was so short that I could collect but little 
reliable information on the state of the country. I found the 
people generally a mixed breed of Spaniard, Indian and 
Mulatto. 

Our captain and the two Guayaquil traders, after mass on 
the day of our arrival here, arranged their commercial affairs 
with the principal shop-keepers of the town, and when we had 
partaken of a tolerable dinner at the little posada, we all mount- 
ed our horses about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and returned to 
the port. Here we landed several bags of cocoa, and sundry 
boxes of merchandise ; and took on board some dry hides, and 
eight or ten bags of dollars ; and after renewing our sea-stores of 
plantain and live-stock, got under way just before dark, and 
steered out of the bay on our course for Panama. 

I learned from the two Guayaquil traders, that they were in 
the habit of leaving goods with the shop-keepers at Monte Chris- 
ti, to dispose of for their account, and always stopped on their 
w 7 ay up and down from Panama to Guayaquil, to receive the 
amount of what they had sold, either in money or the produce 
of the country. I was surprised at the amount of the cargo and 
money transported in this trifling little craft. One of these 
gentlemen told me there were about thirty thousand dollars 
on board of our little brig, besides other valuable articles, 
which we were now taking to Panama, to pay debts and 
purchase merchandise for Guayaquil and the western coast of 
Colombia. 

I am thus minute on the subject of this small trading vessel, 
to show that although a craft of this description would not be 
considered capable or safe to make a sea voyage along the coast 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 351 

of the States, here, the mild winds and smooth seas do not en- 
danger almost any kind of vessel that will float, whilst trading 
along the coast between Guayaquil and Panama. 

During the night, there was a pleasant little breeze from off 
the land, and the next day, we had light and variable winds, 
with fine weather. At noon, I amused myself, while sailing 
along shore, by taking a meridian observation ; and it so hap- 
pened that the sun was vertical, or directly over head, and I 
could therefore sweep his image with the quadrant all round the 
horizon, and fully realize that we were on the equator, and con- 
sequently in no latitude. Our longitude at this time was about 
80° 00' W. from London. 

We continued to have light and variable winds, with occa- 
sional showers, for several days after crossing the equator. The 
weather during the daytime was generally very warm, and we 
had little or nothing to screen us from the rays of the sun, in 
this small and very uncomfortable vessel. Our captain was an 
ignorant, ill-bred man, and took no pains to secure the comfort 
or convenience of his passengers ; — these evils rendered the 
time extremely tedious. We had, however, got about three de- 
grees to the northward of the line, and were now making a 
pretty straight course for Panama. By the persuasion of the 
passengers and myself, our captain consented to steer boldly on 
our course to the northward, and not follow the land along the 
whole length of Choco Bay, as he was inclined to do. He had 
neither chart nor quadrant on board, and, upon reflection, I was 
not surprised that he should not venture far out of sight of terra 
firma. The contramaestre was a good seaman, and an excellent 
fellow ; and frankly acknowledged that he knew nothing of 
navigation, though he was well acquainted with the land, and 
could navigate up and down the coast almost by instinct. 
As we increased our latitude to the northward, the winds 
gradually freshened, and we got on without any material 
accident. 

On the morning of the 16th of September, 1822, we made 
Point St. Francisco Solano, and the land to the eastward of the 
entrance of the Bay of Panama. Point St. Francisco Solano is 
a prominent headland, and lies in lat. 6° 49' N., long. 77° 47' W. 



352 VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOEK. 

"We steered up to the northward, keeping in sight of the land on 
the eastern side of the bay, and found the coast clear and easy to 
navigate. During the night the wind was light. The next day 
we made several islands lying in this beautiful bay, — and as the 
weather was fine and the sea smooth, it was very pleasant sail- 
ing among them. "We steered to the northward, and now saw 
the land on both sides of the bay. On passing the islands, we 
saw several men in boats employed in catching pearl oysters. 
The shells, I believe, are here of not much value, though 
considerable quantities are occasionally shipped from Panama 
to England. 

The next day, Sept. 18th, we came to anchor off the town 
of Panama, in a few minutes after went on shore, and for 
ever bade adieu to our captain and the brig Los dos Her- 
ma?ios. 

I was, of course, delighted to get on shore at Panama; but 
not a little disappointed to find the city so badly supplied with 
hotels. Although there were two or three tolerable cafes, where 
one could get something to eat and drink, still, I believe, there 
was not a good hotel in the place. I was told that the best 
way of living there, was to hire a room or two, and then get a 
black woman to cook. I accordingly hired a few rooms for 
myself and my two young friends, and engaged a black woman 
to dress our food and keep the rooms in order. In this way we 
got along tolerably well, and without any great expense. 

To my satisfaction, I met here captain John Brown, of the 
schooner Freemason, of Baltimore. This schooner was lying at 
Chagres, and Captain Brown expected to sail for the Havana in 
about a fortnight. I engaged a passage with him for my- 
self and the two young gentlemen who came with me from 
Guayaquil. 

The Freemason was the only American vessel lying at Cha- 
gres ; and we deemed ourselves fortunate in meeting with so 
good an opportunity to return to the United States, by way of 
the Havana. 

Captain Brown soon introduced me to his consignee, J. B. 
Ferand, Esq., the American consul at this place. I found Mr. 
F. a polite, obliging man, and, to me, a kind friend. 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 353 

As it was quite healthy at Panama, and very sickly at Cha- 
gres, I concluded to remain in the former city until the Free- 
mason was ready for sea ; and not having any business to do, 
had sufficient leisure to walk about the town and its precincts, 
and view the Key of the Isthmus, as Panama is sometimes 
called. 

The city of Panama lies at the head of a fine, broad bay, of 
the same name, sprinkled with islands which shelter the har- 
bor, and beautify the surrounding scenery. It lies in lat. 8° 
59' N., long. 79° 22' W. ; and, like most other towns built by 
the Spaniards, is strongly walled and tolerably well fortified. 
It belongs to the republic of Colombia, and contains about ten 
or twelve thousand inhabitants. The streets are generally regu- 
lar — and many of the houses commodious and well built. Some 
of the public buildings are large and substantial, particularly 
the cathedral and several convents, and also the college. The 
college of the Jesuits, however, is now but a ruin. The envi- 
rons of the town are pleasant, and the grounds in the neighbor- 
hood tolerably well cultivated. It was once a great place for 
trade, but had, during the last twenty or thirty years, gradu- 
ally declined in its commerce. There was, however, some little 
business still carried on ; and should a canal or a railroad be 
constructed across the Isthmus, Panama will revive again. The 
natural position of the city is excellent — and it will, in my 
opinion, at some future day, become a place of considerable 
importance. 

The tide rises here to a great height — (I do not recollect 
precisely how many feet) — at the full and change of the moon, 
but as near as I can remember, some eighteen or twenty feet. 
Large vessels anchor at a considerable distance from the town, 
and lie afloat at low water ; the small coasting vessels anchor 
close in near the walls of the city, and consequently lie on the 
mud at low tide. The inner harbor is quite dry ; the sand and 
mud flats extend off to a great distance, which at low tide give 
to the harbor an unpleasant aspect ; but at the flood, it rises 
rapidly ; the mud and sand banks are soon covered, and the 
whole scene is agreeably changed from dreary banks to a living 
sheet of healthful salt water. 
23 



354 VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOKE. 

It often struck me while strolling about this town, how ad- 
mirably it was situated for a great commercial city ; with a wide 
and extensive coast — one may even say, from Cape Horn to 
Behring's Straits, with innumerable islands in the vast Pacific 
Ocean — with an open and easy navigation to China, over a sea 
so mild and gentle, that it might almost be traversed in an open 
boat. All these facilities are open to this town on the Pacific ; 
and when we add to these its capacities of a general commerce 
on the Atlantic Ocean to Europe, the United States and the 
West Indies, its location surpasses every other on the face of 
the globe. And now, what is necessary to bring about this 
great result? I answer — a just and good government, with a 
few enterprising capitalists, and five hundred young men from 
New England to give the impetus. Whalemen, merchant ships 
trading to China, coasting brigs, schooners, sloops and steam- 
boats, would spring up like mushrooms ; and in a few years this 
place would become one of the greatest commercial emporiums 
on the globe. A practical, intelligent merchant, acquainted with 
the commerce of the world, will see by a glance at the map, that 
I have stated nothing respecting it either unreal or extravagant. 

A few days before we left Panama, Captain Brown made an 
arrangement with the municipal government of this place, or 
perhaps with an agent of the republic of Colombia, to take as 
passengers about eighty Spanish prisoners and their colonel, 
from Chagres to the Havana, and also a Colombian officer, by 
the name of Barientes (I think he was a major), to take charge 
of the business as commissioner. 

These Spanish prisoners, I understood, capitulated at Quito, 
on conditions that they should leave the country, and be sent to 
the Havana in a neutral vessel, at the expense of the Spanish 
government. The Colombian government agreed to furnish 
them with provisions, and pay Captain Brown a certain sum to 
land them at the Havana ; I think it was about $1800 or $2000. 
This money was paid in advance at Chagres. 

Captain Brown had now so far accomplished his business 
that I began to make my arrangements to leave Panama ; and 
for that purpose, hired a guide and five mules to transport 
Messrs. B. C. and A. D., my two young American friends, mj- 



VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 355 

self, and our baggage, to Cruces. For the guide and the five 
mules, I paid forty-two dollars ; and after remaining at Panama 
fourteen days, on the 2d of October, at four o'clock in the after- 
noon, we left the city for Cruces. We travelled slowly along, — 
myself and the two young men mounted on the riding mules 
(the other two were loaded with our baggage), the guide gener- 
ally walking, in order to pick the best of the road and take care 
of the animals. He, however, rode occasionally on one of the 
baggage mules. The road for three or four miles after leaving 
the city was tolerably good, or rather the different foot-paths, 
for I saw nothing like a road on the whole route from Panama 
to Cruces. From Panama to the foot of the hills, a distance of 
about five or six miles, there is a gradual elevation, and nothing 
to prevent making a good road at a small expense. 

We passed over this part of the way rather pleasantly, and 
just before dark took up our abode for the night in a miserable 
posada, where neither a bed nor any thing eatable could be ob- 
tained. I got liberty to spread my mattress on the floor, — my 
young friends had each a blanket with them, and we all lay 
down in the same room ; and, though badly accommodated, 
were glad to get shelter for the night. 

At daylight, our guide called us to mount the mules and 
make the best of our way. Our bedding was soon rolled up, 
and packed on one of the animals ; and we resumed our journey 
over one of the worst roads I ever travelled — up and clown hill, 
through mud-holes, and over stony ground. Sometimes we met 
with large boulders lying in the mud and sand, that had been 
washed out of the earth and not removed. Over these stones, 
many of which were the size of a barrel, we were obliged to 
pass. At other times the mules would mire above their knees, 
in passing through a deep slough. After getting through a low 
spot of mud and water, the next turn would bring us to a cut in 
the rocks, just wide enough for a loaded mule to pass. These 
passes are frequently made through the solid rocks ; and, as 
they have probably been used a century and a half, the 
mules' feet have worn large holes, and these are generally 
filled with water, so that the poor animals, whether going through 
the mud, slough, or rocky pass, have a difficult task to perform. 



356 VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 

On the way, we frequently met with men carrying valua- 
ble goods on their backs to and from Panama and Cruces. Al- 
most all fragile and valuable goods are conveyed across the Isth- 
mus by porters : such as China and glassware, clocks, and other 
merchandise. Coarser and heavier goods are transported by mules. 
During the day, we occasionally saw huts and small ranchos along 
the road-side, mostly inhabited by a miserable, sickly-looking 
set of creatures — a mixed breed of the Spaniard, Indian and 
negro. 

There is very little cultivation of the soil. The hills and 
valleys are generally well wooded and watered, but in a wild, 
savage state ; and the people that vegetate here live by raising 
cattle, pigs, and poultry, and are extremely filthy and ignorant. 
The porters that convey goods on their backs from Cruces to 
Panama, are paid, I was told, from five to six dollars each way. 
The labor, however, is extremely severe, and none but the most 
hardy can long endure it. 

We could get scarcely any thing to eat on the road, did not 
arrive at Cruces until late in the afternoon, and then very much 
worn down with fatigue. Although the distance from Panama 
to Cruces is only twenty-one miles, the journey is tedious from 
the badness of the roads. 

Cruces is an inconsiderable town, consisting of some eighty 
or a hundred small houses, lying on the west bank of the river 
Chagres, about fifty miles above its mouth, at the head of nav- 
igation. The houses are one story high, and generally built of 
wood, with thatched roofs. The ground, on which the town is 
situated, is pretty level, and about twenty feet above the river. 
"We found here comfortable accommodations, and had a good 
night's rest, after the fatigue of a long day's ride. 

The next morning, the weather being fine, I walked about 
the town. The inhabitants are generally shopkeepers and boat- 
men, with a small proportion of mechanics. As Captain Brown 
was still in Panama, I was in no hurry to push on, being told 
that this place was more healthy and pleasant than Chagres. 
His clerk, a young Spanish gentleman, whose name was Fran- 
cisco, joined us here, and was a friendly, polite young man, and 
very companionable. During the day, I hired a boat, or rather 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 357 

a large canoe, and four men to take us down to Chagres ; we 
were to furnish our own stores. The canoes on this river are 
very large and long. They are made by hollowing out a solid 
tree of Spanish cedar. Some of them carry over one hundred 
half-barrels of flour. "Whole barrels are rarely brought to 
Chagres, owing to the difficulty of transporting them from 
Cruces to Panama. The canoe I hired for myself and the three 
other passengers was of middle size, and the price agreed 
upon to take us down was thirteen dollars. After having pur- 
chased stores for the passage, we got a good dinner, and re- 
mained at Cruces until near sunset, when we embarked. 

The canoes have hoops of bamboo bent over the after part 
of the craft, which are covered with water-tight awnings so that 
the passengers are sheltered from the sun by day, and the dews 
and rain by night. With our mattresses and blankets spread in 
the stern-sheets, we managed to sleep pretty well during the 
night. The river is not very wide, but generally deep and ex- 
tremely crooked, and runs down very rapidly. I should think 
it from a quarter to half a mile wide. Its banks are generally 
abrupt, and from thirty to fifty feet high. Near the river, the 
wood is frequently cleared off, with now and then a little vil- 
lage or a few small plantations ; but, receding a mile or two 
from the river, it appears like a vast forest, and a suitable hab- 
itation for wild beasts. In these jungles, one would imagine 
they could remain undisturbed by the slothful race of men who 
inhabit the Isthmus. The trees here grow to an enormous size, 
and vegetation is rank and green all the year round. 

Our lazy boatmen knew that we were not in a hurry, and 
therefore let the canoe drift down the stream pretty much all 
night, without rowing. Early in the morning, we stopped at 
a small village, and bought some eggs and milk for breakfast ; 
after remaining here about an hour, we pulled slowly down 
with the current. Soon after mid-da} 7 , we brought up again at 
a small landing-place, purchased a few trifling articles, and took 
our dinner under the shade of a fine, large, old tree on the bank 
of the river. This was on the 5th of October, and, at two 
o'clock in the afternoon, we re-embarked, and pulled down for 
our port of destination. At night-fall, it became dark and 



358 VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOEK. 

foggy, and we did not reach Chagres until nine o'clock in the 
evening. As there was no hotel on shore, we went directly to 
the vessel, and had scarcely got on board, and taken out our 
baggage, before it commenced raining, and continued to pour 
in torrents during the whole night. From ten o'clock till mid- 
night we had loud peals of thunder, and vivid lightning. At 
daylight, it ceased raining, but there was a dense vapor-like 
fog until about nine o'clock in the morning, when the sun shone 
out, and, as there was not a breath of wind, it was extremely 
hot and uncomfortable, and the exhalations were so dense and 
bad, that we found it difficult to breathe the foul atmosphere. 
This was on the 6th of October. Chagres is a small, insignifi- 
cant village, lying on low, wet ground, along the eastern bank 
of the river's mouth, in lat. 9° 21' K, long. 80° .4/ W. of Lon- 
don. To the windward, or eastern entrance of the river, is a 
point of land, of moderate height, projecting somewhat into the 
sea, and forming a shelter for vessels lying at anchor in the 
mouth of the river, which here widens so as to form a sort of 
harbor ; this, together with the bar at the entrance, renders it a 
safe port from all gales of wind. To the leeward, and along 
the western bank of the river, the land is low, and overgrown 
with rank grass and high mangrove bushes. 

At 10 o'clock, notwithstanding the sun was shining with in- 
tense heat, I went on shore to take a look at the village, or town. 
We soon brought up in a " pulperia " or grog-shop, which ap- 
peared to be the only resort for strangers, there being no hotel 
or tavern in this miserable place. 

On the eastern point before mentioned, there is a small fort, 
at which, and about the town, there is a military garrison of 
perhaps thirty or forty sickly-looking soldiers. They are mostly 
mulattoes and negroes, badly clothed, and worse fed. The com- 
manding officer of this little garrison, and the great man of the 
place, was a middle-sized mulatto, about thirty or thirty-five 
years old. Captain Brown's clerk, Mr. Francisco, told me we 
had better call on the commandant or captain of the garrison ; 
that he no doubt expected all strangers to pay their respects to 
him on their arrival. This I was quite willing to do, and by all 
means to treat the public authorities with proper respect and 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 359 

attention. "We therefore forthwith repaired to the house of the 
commandant ; we found him comfortably lodged in good 
quarters, and were received with much ceremony. He was 
dressed in full uniform, with two immense epaulettes, and as- 
sumed an air of consequential dignity ; he offered us wine, and 
made a great flourish of male and female attendants. This visit 
of ceremony lasted about half an hour, when we took leave, the 
commandant politely bowing us out of his premises. 

The Schooner Freemason was the only American vessel 
lying in port; there were two or three other small coasting 
vessels which are employed trading up and down the coast. 

Both of the mates and two of the seamen of our vessel were 
ill with the yellow fever, and hardly able to keep the deck ; and 
here we were to remain for several days, to wait .for our passen- 
gers and their stores, which were to be furnished by the Colom- 
bian government, and brought from Panama. The stores for 
the eighty Spanish prisoners, consisted of charque, plantain and 
a small portion of hard biscuit. The colonel and the commis- 
sioner were better provided, and were to mess with Captain 
Brown and myself in the cabin. Captain B. had agreed to fur- 
nish water, and the poor, sick mates, hardly able to crawl about 
the deck, were endeavoring, with a few sailors, to get all the 
water casks filled up from the river before the captain should 
arrive. 

Previous to leaving Guayaquil, I became acquainted with an 
elderly, intelligent Spaniard, who had been for many years at 
Porto Bello and Chagres. He told me by all means to wear 
woollen stockings or socks during the time I remained at Cha- 
gres, to bathe my feet two or three times a day with brandy or 
some other kind of alcohol, and by no means expose myself to 
the night air or noonday sun. I strictly followed the old man's 
advice while I remained here, and have to thank him, with 
God's blessing, that I escaped taking the fever. I enjoyed ex- 
cellent health during my stay at Chagres, which is, perhaps, the 
most sickly place on the face of the globe. 

During the day, I observed the clouds were driven from the 
sea to the land, by the N. E. trade-winds, and when thus col- 
lected in immense masses, appeared to rest on the tops of the 



360 VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOKE. 

lofty hills and mountains, which were crowned with forest trees. 
Soon after nightfall we began to see the lightning and hear the 
roar of thunder, until 9 or 10 o'clock in the evening, when the 
rain fell in sheets during the remainder of the night ; at about 
10 o'clock in the morning it subsided, when the sun shone out 
so intensely hot, that I found it dangerous to go on shore with- 
out an umbrella. I have witnessed copious showers in other 
countries, but nothing to compare with the torrents that nightly 
fell here; I have also seen it lighten and heard it thunder in 
other parts of the world, but never saw or heard any thing to 
equal what I nightly witnessed in this place. Peal after peal 
rends the air, and to a stranger throws an appalling gloom over 
this doomed portion of the earth. 

As the history of one day is exactly that of another, I deem 
it unnecessary to write much more on the monotonous mode of 
life I led here. With respect to the weather, it continued about 
the same while I remained in this place ; we had a bright, 
burning sun throughout the day, with torrents of rain dur- 
ing the night, accompanied with vivid lightning and loud thun- 
der. 

Although it is very easy to descend the river Chagres in a 
large canoe, well protected from the sun by day, and the dews 
and rain by night, it is not easy to ascend it against a very 
rapid current running from three to six miles an hour, accord- 
ing to the high or low stage of the water. Loaded canoes are often 
a week getting from Chagres to Cruces ; the men are obliged to 
track up the stream, and with boat-hooks haul up along-shore 
by the trees and bushes. 

To convey passengers, light canoes are taken, which generally 
make the passage in two clays. If asked whether there is suf- 
ficient water in the river for a steamboat, I would answer that I 
believe there is, and no obstruction but want of sufficient em- 
ployment to support the expense of a boat. At this time there 
were very few passengers crossing the Isthmus, and too little 
trade to give any encouragement to establishing a steamboat on 
the river. 

On the 8th of October, Captain Brown arrived, with the 
Spanish colonel and the commissioner, Major Barientes, with all 



VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 361 

the sea-stores, both for the Spanish soldiers and the officers, and 
now all was hurry and bustle getting ready for sea. The next 
day, I called with Captain Brown to pay our respects to the 
mulatto commandant, and take a memorandum from this man in 
authority, to purchase whatever he should please to order from 
Baltimore. Captain B. had already made two or three voyages 
from Baltimore to this place; and as he expected to return 
there again in a few months, of course had a great many little 
commissions to execute for the elite of Panama and Chagres. 
On our arrival at the quarters of the commandant, we found 
him decked off in a new suit of gaudy uniform, — and here I 
witnessed a ludicrous farce between Captain Brown and the 
mulatto major. The latter was a vain, conceited coxcomb, evi- 
idently bent on showing off and playing the great man. Cap- 
tain Brown was a plain, blunt Scotchman, and understood not 
a word of Spanish, but endowed with a good understanding, and 
was by nature kind and benevolent. Independent of these 
qualities, it was his interest to keep smooth weather, and be 
upon good terms with the major; — he therefore waited with 
patience to receive the orders of the gallant commandant. I 
lament that I possess not the graphic powers of Dr. Smollett to 
describe the ludicrous. 

Captain Brown's secretary, Mr. F. was seated at a table 
with pen, ink and paper, to note down the orders of the mulatto 
gentleman, who, to show his learning, endeavored to give his 
directions in phrases of bad French, interlarded with a few 
words of English. He would now and then walk about for a 
few moments, and admire himself, from head to foot, in a large 
mirror suspended at the head of the room. Mr. F. modestly 
requested him to give his orders in the Castilian language ; but 
this plain dealing did not suit the taste of the major, who re- 
proved him for his presumption, and then would reverse the or- 
der, direct him to commence anew, and strictly follow the orders 
given in his own way. The animated gesticulations and pom- 
posity of the yellow major, and the unmoved indifference of the 
captain, formed so striking a contrast, that it was with the great- 
est difficulty I could command my risible faculties. This farce 
lasted about an hour, when we took our leave of "senor 



362 VOYAGE FROM. GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YOKE. 

commandant," and left him to admire himself without inter- 
ruption. 

I can only imagine one reason why the Colombian govern- 
ment should place such a vain fool in the command of so im- 
portant a post, and that is, that the place is so unhealthy that 
no white man could live there. 

Oct. 11th. — At 9 o'clock in the morning we weighed anchor, 
and with the boat ahead to tow, and a light air off the land, 
sailed out of the harbor bound to the Havana. After getting a 
mile or two from the river's mouth, it became quite calm. 
There we lay exposed to the hot sun for two hours, waiting for 
the sea breeze, to beat up to windward far enough to stand to 
the northward, and clear the land to the westward, and make 
good our course out of the bay. 

The schooner Freemason was a good vessel of about 100 tons 
burden, and a pretty fair sailer. In the cabin were the captain, 
the Spanish colonel, Major Barientes and myself. In the steer- 
age were the two sick mates, and the two young men that came 
with me from Guayaquil. The main hold was left for the 
Spanish soldiers. Two of the crew in the forecastle were ill 
with the yellow fever, and the mates unfit for duty. Notwith- 
standing all these evils, we were delighted to leave Chagres for 
the broad ocean, once more breathe the pure sea air, and fly 
from pestilence and death. 

At 11 o'clock, after lying becalmed two hours, a breeze 
sprung up from the E. N. E., when we commenced beating up 
to windward ; and j ust at sunset, having made fifteen or twenty 
miles up along shore, steered to the 1ST. 1ST. E. all night with a 
stiff trade-wind from the east, and the next day, Oct. 12th, at 4 
p. m., made the Island of St. Andrew. This island lies off the 
Mosquito shore, in lat. 12° 30' K, long. 81° W. After passing 
this island we kept the trade-wind, and as it was light, we made 
but little progress during the night. At 6 a. m., soon after day- 
light, we made the Island of Providence. This island is of a 
moderate height, and lies in lat. 13° 27' N., long. 80° 39' W. of 
London ; distant about sixty miles to the northward of St. An- 
drew. We ran within a mile or two of Providence, namely to 
the westward, or in seamen's phrase, under the lee of the island. 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 363 

"We continued on our course to the northward, and passed to 
the windward of the numerous small islands, reefs and shoals, 
lying off the coast of the Mosquito shore. 

Just at night this day, Oct. 13th (sea account), Captain 
Brown was taken very ill, and unable to come on deck ; the 
second mate was sick below, and the chief mate, poor fellow, so 
reduced from the effect of the fever contracted in Chagres, that 
he was with difficulty able to keep the deck during the day. 
"We were now in a dangerous and very difficult situation, sur- 
rounded with reefs and shoals, and no one to take the command 
of the vessel. The old Spanish colonel and Major Barientes 
saw our situation, and begged me, for God's sake, to take the 
command of the schooner. I was placed in a very delicate po- 
sition ; but under all the circumstances of the case, consented 
to do so. I mustered all the men in the forecastle, well enough 
to keep watch, and they numbered two. With these, my two 
New York friends, and the cook, I took command of the 
schooner ; and as the weather was dark and squally, I kept the 
deck all night, beating about in the passage until daylight, when 
we again got a strong trade-wind from E. N. E., and clear, 
pleasant weather. "We were now clear of all the reefs and 
shoals, and made a fair wind for Cape Antonio, on the west end 
of Cuba. At 10 o'clock in the morning, Captain Brown was 
better, able to come on deck and resume the command of the 
schooner. 

The Spanish colonel was a gentlemanly man of about sixty. 
He had been in the armies in South America seven or eight 
years, in many severe engagements, and always fought with 
honor to himself and his country ; but was beaten at last at the 
battle of Quito, where he and manj'- of his countrymen laid 
down their arms and capitulated to be sent out of the country. 
He was indeed a war-worn soldier, and I fear had been poorly 
remunerated for his hard and severe sufferings. He was a kind, 
amiable man, with very modest, unassuming manners, and won 
the respect and esteem of all those about him. 

Major Barientes, the commissioner, was a fine, healthy- 
looking young man, about thirty or thirty-five years of age ; 
had been several years in the Colombian service, and I have no 



364: VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 

doubt was a gallant fellow. He was now on his way to a colony 
of Spain, to deliver the colonel and the Spanish soldiers up to 
the government of Cuba, and claim from it the money and ful- 
filment of the capitulation made at the battle of Quito. 

I was often amused with the conversation of these two gen- 
tlemen on the subject of the different battles fought in South 
America between their respective countrymen, each, of course, 
endeavoring to make his own superior and victorious. General- 
ly, their conversations and recitals were carried on in a good 
spirit ; sometimes, however, they would wax warm in these lit- 
tle disputes. I good-naturedly reminded them that here we 
were all friends together, and had no fighting to do ; this always 
brought them to a just sense of their relative situations, when 
their arguments would take a gentler tone, and end in mutual 
good wishes that the war between Spain and her colonies might 
soon terminate. I found them both well-'bred and agreeable 
fellow-passengers. 

The mates and seamen were now convalescent, and every 
thing went on smoothly. In a few days we made Cape St. An- 
tonio, and proceeded on our course without any incident worth 
remarking, until off Mariel, the day before we arrived at Ha- 
vana. Here we fell in with a Spanish sloop-of-war, ship-rigged, 
and mounting eighteen guns. She ranged up near us, and seeing 
so many men on our decks, either took us for a privateer or a 
pirate. Her guns were pointed, and every thing ready to give 
us a broadside, although so near that she could, no doubt, see 
we had no guns. Our captain expected every moment to re- 
ceive her fire. We were lying to, when he hailed and ordered 
us to send our boat on board instantly, or he would sink us. We 
had but one boat, and it was dried up with the sun, so that the 
moment it touched the water it leaked like a sieve. Still the 
order was imperative and must be obeyed. Captain B. re- 
quested the colonel and myself to go on board, and show him 
the schooner's papers. We got into the boat, and with constant 
bailing, made out to get on board of the ship, though not in a 
very good condition, being wet up to the knees. We showed 
our papers to the captain, who was a very young man, and, 



VOYAGE FKOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 365 

after a little delay, were requested to take seats on the quarter- 
deck. 

The colonel explained the substance of the capitulation, his 
misfortunes, &c, &c. The captain appeared rather to upbraid 
than sympathize with the good colonel, who was old enough to 
be his father. I felt vexed with the upstart. Our visit was of 
short duration. The captain of the ship neither invited the 
veteran to take a glass of wine, nor any other refreshment, nor 
was he at all polite. I sincerely regret I do not recollect the 
name of this worthy old warrior, who bore such treatment with 
so much patience. 

While in the boat, I observed to the colonel that his coun- 
tryman, the captain of the ship, did not treat him with the con- 
sideration and courtesy due to his rank and misfortunes. He 
mildly replied that he was a very young man, was probably 
promoted by family interest, and had little sympathy for the 
unfortunate. 

The ship soon made sail, and we steered on our course, and 
the next day, Oct. 28th, came to anchor at Havana, eighteen 
days from Chagres. The health-boat soon came alongside, and 
we were allowed to go on shore. 

Major Barientes went on shore in full Colombian uniform, 
and, I was told, was well received by the governor, but whether 
he ever recovered the money due to his government, I have 
never been able to learn. I took a kind farewell of these two 
worthy gentlemen, and we never again met. 

I was very anxious to get home, and as there was no vessel 
to sail soon for New York, engaged a passage to Philadelphia, 
on board the hermaphrodite brig James Coulter, to sail the next 
day. I advanced a small sum of money to my young proteges, 
taking their orders on their friends in New York for the amount 
I had already paid for their passages and other expenses, and 
left them under the protection of the American Consul at this 
place. 

The next day we got under way, and sailed out of the har- 
bor, bound for Philadelphia. I regret I do not recollect the 
name of the young man who commanded the J. C. He was an 
active, capable shipmaster, and a worthy man. I had the good 



366 VOYAGE FEOM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 

fortune to meet on board the James Coulter, an old friend, Cap- 
tain Frazer, of Baltimore, and as we were the only passengers 
on board, were very happy to see each other, and renew our 
former acquaintance. We had formerly met in Europe, and 
now, after many years' separation, it was delightful to take pas- 
sage together. I do not recollect any thing remarkable during 
our passage home. Every thing went on in perfect good order, 
and we had a very pleasant voyage of only fifteen days to the 
city of Philadelphia. 

I paid $50 for my passage, and was well satisfied with both 
the vessel and the captain. We landed in the afternoon of the 
14th of November, 1822. The next day I took the steamboat 
for New York, and arrived in that city at noon, the day follow- 
ing, after an absence of just twelve months. 

I had not received a syllable from home during my long and 
tedious absence, and was extremely anxious to hear from my 
family and friends. I therefore with precipitation hurried to 
the counting-office of my friend. I met him, and not a word 
was spoken, but I saw in his face that I was doomed to be a 
miserable man, that I was bereft of the dearest object for me 
that earth contained. I conjured him to speak out and let me 
know the worst. I told him I was a man, and could bear grief. 
He then said that my wife had died in Brooklyn, on the 3d of 
October, and was interred on the 5th, that she had left me a 
fine little daughter, about seven months old. 

I forthwith proceeded to my melancholy abode. Although 
I was stricken and cut to the heart, and bereft of her my soul 
held the dearest of earth's treasures, still, what could I say, but 
repeat the words of a man more afflicted than myself, " The 
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, and for ever blessed 
be his holy name." 

A few weeks after my return home, my worthy friend 
Richard M. Lawrence, Esq., who at this period was President 
of the Union Marine Insurance Company in New York, called 
at my house, and generously offered me a situation as in- 
spector of ships in that company. The situation had lately 
been vacated, and was now offered to me with a very handsome 
salary. I, however, declined the kind offer of my excellent 



VOYAGE FROM GUAYAQUIL TO NEW YORK. 367 

friend, with many thanks ; not wishing at this time to remain 
long on shore. 

Had my wife been spared me, I should have thankfully ac- 
cepted the offer, but being afflicted and disappointed in my an- 
ticipations in life, I was again cast adrift and almost alone in 
this world of change and disappointment. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

YOYAGE FKOM NEW YOKK TO THE HAYANA, AND BACK TO NEW YORK, 
IN THE SCHOONER SWAN, IN THE YEAR 1823. 

In the month of April of this year, I agreed with the Messrs. G. 
G. & S. Howland, of New York, to perform a voyage to the 
Havana, in the schooner Swan. This was a fine, large, Balti- 
more-built vessel, three years old, and burden 234 tons. 

We took in an assorted cargo on freight, for the Havana. 
The object of this voyage was twofold with the owners — namely, 
to dispose of the schooner in Cuba, and take out funds in gold 
to load a ship, belonging to them, called the Circassian. 

The Messrs. Howland sent out a young man with me, from 
their counting-office, to purchase a cargo of sugar and coffee, 
at Matanzas. This cargo was intended for the Mediterranean 
market. At this period there were many piratical vessels ma- 
rauding the West Indies, and particularly about the Island of 
Cuba, so that fast-sailing, warlike-looking vessels, were preferred 
to any other description of ships ; consequently, the moment the 
Swan was announced as wanting freight for the Havana, the 
whole cargo was obtained in a few days, and she was ready for 
sea in less than a week, with a full freight. She was partialty 
armed ; we had four six-pounders, sundry muskets, swords, pis- 
tols, etc. The crew consisted of two mates, with fifteen men 
and boys ; we had also two cabin-passengers. The chief mate's 

name was L , and a poorer and more inefficient creature 

never officiated as mate of a vessel. To use a seaman's phrase, 
he was neither soldier nor sailor ; and when he could obtain 
liquor, was always half-seas over. With this mate, and a very 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 369 

inefficient crew, I was to perform a voyage to the Havana, 
with a valuable freight, and fifteen hundred and ninety-eight 
doubloons. 

I became, in a measure, responsible for the vessel and cargo, 
having signed bills of lading for the whole amount. It was of 
course expected that I should be able, in this vessel, to run away 
from every thing that floated the ocean ; and if not able to 
escape by superior sailing, doubtless must fight to the last ex- 
tremity, to defend the property ; and what was the remunera- 
tion for my services ? Why, fifty dollars per month, and a por- 
tion of the passage-money. I do not blame the owners for this 
small compensation, because it was a fair agreement between 
us. I merely state these facts, to show how poorly shipmasters 
were paid for the amount of responsibility they assumed, and 
ask whether, as a body, they were not worse paid than any 
other class of men, having the same arduous duties and respon- 
sibilities ; for when they have families, it must be a difficult 
matter for them to live respectably on the slender allowance 
they receive. I shall make no further comments on this sub- 
ject, but leave it to rest on its own merits. 

The young gentleman sent with me by the Messrs. How- 
land, was Mr. H. Patterson, a Scotchman by birth, and well 
educated ; he was one of the best men I ever knew. Although 
young, he was a good merchant, and indefatigable in his exer- 
tions to promote the interest of his employers. 

We left New York at noon on the 27th of April, and as we 
had strong breezes from the southward, were obliged to beat 
down the bay. A great portion of the crew were intoxicated, 
so that I was compelled to hire four riggers to assist in beating 
down to Sandy Hook, and from thence return in a pilot-boat to 
New York. At 6 o'clock in the evening, the flood tide made 
against us, when we came to anchor and lay until midnight ; 
we then made sail, and at one o'clock, a. m., got outside of Sandy 
Hook, where we discharged the pilot and the four riggers. At 
two a. m., the lighthouse on Sandy Hook bore W. N. W. ten 
miles distant, from which I took my departure. During the 
night we had strong breezes at N. N. E., with dark, cloudy 
weather. Monday the 28th, at daylight, we had a continuation 
24 



370 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 

of fresh breezes at N. N. E., and disagreeable weather ; all 
hands employed clearing ship and securing every thing about 
decks. At eight, sent down topgallant-mast and yards, double 
reefed the foresail and mainsail, took the bonnet off the jib, and 
at ten a. m., took in the mainsail ; strong gales at 1ST. E., now 
running off at the rate of eight or nine knots the hour. The 
sun came out just before noon, when, by a meridian observa- 
tion, we were in lat. 39° 9' ]ST. I was sorry to find the chief 
mate altogether incompetent to perform his duty ; the second 
mate was a pretty good sailor, but not accustomed to command, 
and was in fact only an alongshore rigger ; and among the whole 
crew we had but three seamen, all the rest were ordinary sailors 
and very inefficient men. The masts and sails of this fine ves- 
sel were large and heavy, and required a great number of good, 
able seamen ; consequently I was obliged to carry but little 
sail, and endeavor by vigilant and active discipline to break in 
and train the mates and sailors by degrees to make and take in 
sail, and thus by constant practice enable me to carry more 
canvas and profit by the construction of this fine vessel. These 
schooners are built expressly for fast sailing, but require very 
skilful management and constant watchfulness ; otherwise they 
are very dangerous. A captain only accustomed to sail a ship, 
is not always competent to manage one of these sharp and deli- 
cately-built schooners. They have often been compared to a 
racehorse with an unskilful rider, when commanded by a man 
unaccustomed to manage them. I do not mean to say that a 
man thoroughly bred to the sea, and an able shipmaster, may 
not become a good schooner sailor, but I wish to be understood 
that it requires a great deal of practical experience to handle 
them properly in all climates, and in all kinds of winds and 
weather. 

If it be asked why I took with me such inefficient officers 
and men, I answer that I had no time to get better ; the owners 
were in great haste, and in five days after we commenced load- 
ing, we sailed with nearly a full cargo, and all was hurry, bustle 
and confusion until we got to sea. 

From the 28th of April to the 9th of Jsl&y, say for a period 
of ten days, we met with nothing worthy of remark ; we had 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 371 

a variety of winds and generally fine weather. On Friday, 
May 9th, at five o'clock in the morning, daylight, we made the 
land near the south end of the Island of Abaco, bearing W. 1ST. 
W. four leagues distant ; the next day the winds were light and 
baffling, and the weather extremely warm ; the thermometer at 
noon stood at 88° in the cabin. The winds were so light through 
the day, that we did not pass the Hole-in-the-Wall until 6 o'clock 
in the evening. 

What is called the Hole-in-the-Wall is a natural arch in the 
point forming the south end of Abaco, and lies in latitude 25° 
54/ north, longitude 77° 16' west. Through this large arch, the 
sea generally breaks, and thus forms a conspicuous landmark 
for navigators that pass this island. The schooner Swan drew 
at this time over thirteen feet of water, and I judged it more 
prudent to pass round the Great and Little Isaac Rocks, than to 
cross the Bank ; consequently, I steered down to the westward, 
leaving the Bahama Bank, Stirrup's Key, and the Berry Islands 
on the larboard hand, and, on this course, passed round the 
Isaac Rocks, keeping close along the western edge of the Great 
Bahama Bank, to avoid getting into the Gulf Stream. 

May Wth. — First part of these twenty-four hours light 
breezes from the E. S. E., and very warm weather. At nine 
o'clock in the morning, the wind being light and bafning, I came 
to anchor in eight fathoms of water, near the Little Isaac Rocks. 
These are several small rock islands lying on the edge of the 
Bank, and very conspicuous marks for this passage ; they are 
perhaps about seventy to one hundred feet high. 

There we lay until five o'clock, daylight, when we made sail 
again with a moderate breeze from the S. E. and fine weather. 
At eight a. m., passed near the Great Isaacs, with a stiff breeze 
from the S. E. and E. S. E. ; sailing to the southward, close along 
the edge of the Bank, and running at the rate of eight and nine 
knots per hour. We were enabled, by keeping in white water 
and close on the edge of the Bank, to avoid the Gulf Stream. 
At meridian the island of Bermini bore south eight miles dis- 
tant, the wind became light and the weather very hot, the 
thermometer stood at 90° in the shade. Latitude by observation 
25° 44/ north, longitude 79° west. 



372 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEB SWAN. 

12th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with mod- 
erate breezes from the S. E. and fine weather. At two p. m. 
passed within a league of Bermini ; we saw there a small pilot- 
boat schooner lying at anchor, in a snug little harbor formed by 
this and another small island. Thus we continued to sail dur- 
ing the whole of this day along the western edge of the Bank, 
under the lee of those small islands which lie generally in a 
straight north and south line, near the -edge of the Bank. These 
islands form many good harbors for pirates and wreckers, and it 
always gives one a suspicious feeling to see small sloops and 
schooners at anchor among these lonely islands, notwithstanding 
they may sometimes be honest men working in their vocation, 
watching for vessels in distress, and catching turtle to fill up 
their leisure hours. At four o'clock in the afternoon we passed 
within a mile and a half of Cat Key. During the middle and 
latter part of these twenty-four hours we had fresh breezes from 
the E. 1ST. E., and fine weather, and were enabled to make good 
progress on our course. At noon, we were in latitude by obser- 
vation 23° 59' north, and had made two hundred and ten miles 
distance per log during the last twenty-four hours. 

Tuesday, May 13tfA. — These twenty four hours commenced 
with moderate breezes, and fine weather. At eight o'clock in 
the morning, the Double-headed Shot Keys bore S. S. E., twelve 
or fifteen miles distant ; at nine saw a small schooner, full of 
men, coming out from among these keys ; she soon gave chase 
to us. The wind being light, she came up very slowly, which 
gave us time to load all our guns. After getting on deck our 
muskets, swords and pistols, I addressed the passengers, officers 
and crew, on the subject of defending ourselves against the 
schooner in chase of us ; I told them I believed him to be a pi- 
rate, and asked them whether they were all willing to fight, and 
sell their lives as dearly as possible % They all, to a man, an- 
swered, Yes, and with three hearty cheers, said they were will- 
ing and ready to commence the action. I then observed that 
if any man wished to go below, to say so, at once. ~No one 
availed himself of my offer, except one of the cabin passengers, 
who was a Spaniard, by the name of Don C. F. He said he 
did not wish to fight, and had rather go below. I told him to 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 373 

retire forthwith into the cabin. I then locked up the forecastle 
and cabin doors, hoisted our pennant and ensign, and steered 
directly for the schooner. In a few minutes he tacked ship, got 
out his sweeps, pulled and sailed off as fast as possible, and soon 
returned among the keys. I suppose he took the Swan for a 
United States schooner ; and thus ended our expected engage- 
ment. 

The sea-breeze soon sprang up, and we hauled in for Cuba ; 
just before dark, we made the coast, about ten leagues to the 
eastward of the Havana. "We ran to the westward during the 
night, under easy sail, and at two o'clock, after midnight, made 
the light on the Moro Castle. At six in the morning, on the four- 
teenth, we ran into the harbor of Havana, and came to anchor, 
after a passage of fifteen days. 

We were soon visited by the health-boat, and got permission 
to go on shore. 

According to the directions from my owners, I consigned the 
vessel and cargo to Messrs. Gutieres & Morland, whom I found 
to be excellent merchants, and very honorable men. The next 
day we got a berth for the schooner at the wharf, and com- 
menced discharging. We then advertised her for sale, freight 
or charter, and in a few days landed all our cargo. Mr. Pat- 
terson left this place in the first steamboat, for Matanzas, and 
took all the doubloons with him, which relieved my mind from 
much care and anxiety. 

I will here relate an incident to show the evil consequences 
of having a drunken mate. After the schooner was discharged, 
I told him to haul the Swan off from the wharf, and anchor her 
in a good berth, in the harbor. I was so much occupied on 
shore, that I could not attend to it myself, and therefore directed 
him to do it. The weather was fine, and the water as smooth 
as a duck pond ; still, this miserable man managed to get the 
vessel off into the harbor, and in dropping one of the anchors, 
let all the chain ran out, and the schooner go adrift. The next 
day it cost me ten dollars to recover the anchor and chain. He 
also abused and ill-treated the men so much during the day, that 
six of them deserted the vessel, on the following night. These 
are evils that we, poor shipmasters, had to submit to in conse- 



374 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 

quence of intemperance, at this period, and I am now rejoiced 
to add, that I have lived to witness the glorious triumph of tem- 
perance societies over beastly intoxication and moral debase- 
ment among seamen. Yes, it gladdens the heart of every hu- 
mane man, to witness the great and glorious reform among sea- 
faring men, brought about by the best of all societies, the tem- 
perance reformers of our age. And who could have, for a mo- 
ment, imagined, that a few short years would have produced 
such a radical change in this class of useful, though unfortunate 
men? "When the subject of temperance was proposed, not a 
great many years ago, in New York, I must confess, I was an 
unbeliever in its practicability on shipboard. I said, it may, 
perhaps, be carried out in some measure, on shore, but it never 
can be with seamen — sailors cannot, and will not, do without 
liquor, nor will they ever be willing to go to sea without it, for 
it is, in fact, necessary to their very existence. I am now, how- 
ever, happy to acknowledge that I was entirely mistaken ; for, 
since that period, I have made many long voyages without a 
drop of liquor on board, and now find that nearly all the quar- 
rels and corroding vexation we used to have with both ofiicers 
and men, grew out of that curse to human society, alcohol, in 
some shape or other. 

After waiting a few days, and being unable to dispose of 
the vessel, I concluded to take a freight, and return directly to 
New York. I will here insert copies of two letters that I wrote 
at this time to my employers, which will tell the whole story, 
better than I can now relate it. 

Messrs. G. G. & S. Howland, — 

Gentlemen : — Your esteemed favors of the 1st and 7th in- 
stants, are now before me. I have noted their contents, and re- 
gret to inform you that I am unable to dispose of the Swan at 
any thing like her fair value ; and the highest freight I can get 
offered to Europe, including primage, say to Havre, is one and 
a half cent per pound for coffee. This I consider too low, par- 
ticularly when I can obtain a full cargo of coffee for New York, 
at three-fourths of a cent per pound, and have agreed with most 
of the shippers to consign their property to your house. I have 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 375 

now on board more than half a cargo, and hope to get full by the 
28th inst, when I shall make the best of my way back to New 
York. I shall forward a duplicate of this letter by a vessel 
which sails to-morrow for Norfolk, that you may be fully ap- 
prised of my determination in time to insure the Swan from this 
place to your city. I shall in all probability soon return, and 
therefore deem it unnecessary to detail every occurrence that 
has transpired during my absence. "When we meet, I trust I 
shall be able to explain every thing to your satisfaction. I 
have a fair prospect of getting five or six cabin passengers, and 
although I shall not make you a great voyage, hope you will 
clear at least fifteen hundred dollars, and find the schooner in 
as good or better condition when she returns, than when she left 
New York. Mr. Patterson writes me from Matanzas, that your 
ship Circassian will probably sail from that port about the 10th 
of June. 

Very respectfully, I remain, Gentlemen, 

Your obedient servant, 

GEOKGE COGGESHALL. 

Havana, May 24th, 1823. 



Messrs. G. G. & S. Howland, — 

Gentlemen : — For fear of accident, I herewith inclose you a 
debenture certificate of goods shipped by your house, on account 
of Don Carlos Fernando. I shall, of course, bring the other 
copy along with me, and am now happy to advise you that I 
have a full cargo of coffee and sugar on freight ; coffee at three- 
fourths of a cent per pound, and sugar at about the same rate. 
The greater part of the cargo is consigned to } T our house. I re- 
gret I am not able, at this moment, to send you a freight list, 
neither can I say exactly how much it will amount to, but at a 
rough guess, think about eighteen hundred or two thousand dol- 
lars, including the passage money. I intend to clear out this 
day, and sail with the convoy in the morning. I have had 
much trouble with my chief mate, and a bad crew ; in conse- 
quence of which, 1 have been obliged to hire stevedores to stow 



376 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 

the cargo, and am this day shipping sailors. I hope to be in 
New York before this reaches you, and am very truly, 
Your obedient servant, 

GEORGE COGGESHALL. 

Havana, May Slst, 1823. 

I fortunately obtained seven cabin passengers at fifty dollars 
each. They were nearly all natives of Colombia and the island 
of Cuba ; only one or two of them spoke English, but they were 
all agreeable, gentlemanly men, and behaved with great pro- 
priety. I will here remark, that I have frequently had Spanish 
passengers, and have found them easily satisfied, and generally 
less troublesome than those of any other nation. After getting 
every thing ready, we sailed out of the harbor at two o'clock in 
the afternoon, on the 1st of June, having been here seventeen 
days, bound for New York in company with six sail of Ameri- 
can vessels for different ports in the United States, under con- 
voy of the U. S. Schooners Greyhound and Jackall. At this 
period there were so many piratical vessels cruising around 
Cuba and the Bahama Islands, that it was not safe for American 
merchant vessels to navigate these seas without government 
protection. At six in the afternoon, the Moro Castle bore 
south, seven leagues distant. At nine o'clock in the evening, I 
was boarded by an officer from the schooner Greyhound, under 
the command of Lieutenant Kearney, all the fleet still in sight. 
During the night we had light winds, and made but little pro- 
gress on our course. 

Monday, June 2d. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with light airs from the E. "N. E., and clear, pleasant weather. 
At 10 a. m. the convoy still in sight to the southward. Lati- 
tude by observation at noon, 23° 59' north. Longitude about 
82° west. 

Tuesday, the 3d. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with strong breezes at E. S. E., and cloudy weather, with 
a high head-sea running. At seven, made sail to the north- 
ward and left the fleet. At eleven a. m. spoke the schooner 
Jackall. She had also left the convoy, and was bound on a 
cruise in pursuit of pirates. Latitude by an indifferent obser- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 377 

vation, 26° 10' north. Longitude about 80° west ; two sail in 
sight. 

Wednesday, June A&h. — These twenty-four hours commen- 
ced with strong gales at E. S. E., and S. E., with dark, squally 
weather. The schooner under reefed sails, and going at the 
rate of ten or eleven miles the hour, on a straight course to the 
northward, and with the Gulf Stream in our favor, we were sail- 
ing at a great rate, and thus it continued to blow from the S. E. 
during the whole night. At noon, we found ourselves, by a 
good observation, in latitude 30° 28' north, longitude 79° 3' 
west ; so that we had differed our latitude 4° and eighteen miles 
the last twenty-four hours, thus making a direct northerly course 
of two hundred and fifty-eight miles. 

Thursday, June 5th. — First part of these twenty-four hours 
strong gales at E. S. E., and dark, cloudy weather, with a high 
sea running ; middle part dark and rainy, steering to the north- 
ward under easy sail. At two a. m. split the jib ; close reefed 
the fore and main-sails. At six o'clock, daylight, it became 
more moderate ; turned the reefs out and made sail. Latitude 
by observation, 32° 40' north. Longitude about 77° 13' west. 
During these last twenty-four hours, we had only about half a 
knot northerly current. 

From the 5th to the 10th of June, nothing remarkable oc- 
curred ; we generally had baffling and contrary winds, and 
were obliged to beat about and ply to the northward the best 
way we could. On this day, however, we made the land 
near Cape Henlopen, bearing N. !N". "W., about three leagues ; 
the wind being at N. E. directly ahead, with a high sea 
running, we stood off and plied to the windward under reefed 
sails, as the wind was blowing a strong gale from the N. E. : 
towards noon it moderated. Latitude by observation, 38° 11' 
north. Several sail in sight, spoke the schooner Curlew, bound 
to New York. 

Wednesday, June 14:th. — We had light winds from the east- 
ward, and clear, pleasant weather throughout all these twenty- 
four hours ; we were still beating to the northward, tacking gene- 
rally every four or six hours ; several sail in sight. At meridian 



378 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONEK SWAN - . 

the winds were light, and the weather very warm. Latitude by 
observation, 39° 14/ north. 

Thursday, the 15th. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with moderate breezes from the southward, and fine weather. 
At noon this day took a pilot, and at two o'clock in the afternoon 
passed Sandy Hook. At four, came to anchor at the quaran- 
tine ground at Staten Island, after a rough and boisterous passage 
of eleven days from the Havana — all well. 

The health-boat soon visited us, and permitted all my passen- 
gers to go directly up to the city. The health-officer ordered 
me to discharge in lighters all our goods, which consisted of 
sugar, coffee, indigo, and sundry other articles of merchandise. 
This cargo was all taken up to the city, while the schooner was 
compelled to lie in quarantine. On the fallacy of this regula- 
tion, it is unnecessary for me to comment, and I will therefore 
leave the merchants and politicians to settle the question. 

In six days, all the cargo was discharged, in good order. 
The owners, at my request, sent down several lighter-loads of 
stone-ballast ; and on the 22d of June, I settled the voyage with 
the Messrs. Howland, was paid off, and I believe they were sat- 
isfied with my conduct and management of their business. I was 
just two months in their employ, namely, from the 22d of April 
to the 22d of June. 

And here I am sorry to add, that the worthy Mr. Patterson, 
sent out with me to attend to loading and dispatching the ship 
Circassian, took the yellow fever at Matanzas, soon after I left 
the Havana, and died in a few days, sincerely regretted by all 
those who had the pleasure of knowing him. 

Remarks and Comments on the Piracies in the West Indies, 
in the year 1823. 

At this period, the leeward "West India Islands swarmed 
with pirates, particularly around the Island of Cuba. The Isle 
of Pines, on the south side of the main land, was a famous ren- 
dezvous for them. There were also hordes of these wretches in 
the bays and creeks about Cape Antonio ; and whenever an un- 
armed vessel passed near, these miscreants would sally out, cap- 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 379 

ture it, and not unfrequently kill every soul on board. Scarce- 
ly a week passed without accounts of robberies and murders 
having been committed by these vile outlaws from all nations. 
I was personally acquainted with several individuals who were 
murdered by these desperate renegades. From month to month 
they increased in numbers and ferocity, and their barbarities 
augmented in proportion, until the indignation of England and 
the United States was aroused to avenge the death of the poor 
victims who fell into their hands, and whose blood cried aloud 
for revenge. In this just retribution, England and the United 
States combined to put them down; and for that purpose, equip- 
ped suitable brigs, schooners and cutters, which were able to 
pursue them into shoal water, and there ferret them out in their 
hiding-places, and dens of death and pollution. Sometimes they 
shot them without mercy ; at others, they carried them to Ja- 
maica and New Orleans. At the former place, more than fifty 
were hung at a time ; and at the latter, several were executed — 
the number I cannot state with precision. 

I deem it unnecessary to enumerate the different ships and 
vessels taken and destroyed about this time, and will only men- 
tion a few which came within my own immediate knowledge, 
namely : the American brig Edward ; the captain and part of 
the crew were murdered, and their bodies thrown into the sea ; 
Brig Laura Ann, Captain Shaw, from Buenos Ayres, loaded 
with jerked beef, bound to Havana ; the captain, mates and crew 
were all murdered, except one man who secreted himself below ; 
they set fire to the brig, and then left her, after which he 
escaped on a piece of the wreck, and finally got safe to the 
Havana. 

"While I was there in May, 1823, I conversed with an Ameri- 
can captain, who had recently arrived from the Isle of Pines 
with his mate and a part of the crew. He told me his brig 
was laden with salt from Cadiz, bound for New Orleans ; that 
he was taken to the Isle of Pines, where his vessel was stripped 
of all her sails and rigging, and then burned. The captain 
said, while they were seeking for hidden treasure, one of his 
men told the leader of the pirate gang that there were $2,000 
hid under the cabin floor, when they instantly seized the 



380 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 

captain, and were going to execute him on the spot : he begged 
for mercy, and said there was no money on board, but if they 
found any he would not complain, but submit to his fate. 
They accordingly took the sailor, and after searching where he 
said the money was secreted, and finding none, the pirate 
captain said to him, " I will shoot you, you d — d rascal, for 
lying against your captain," and instantly ordered him to 
be lashed to the windlass, and had him shot on the spot. The 
brig being destroyed, the captain, mate, and a few of his men 
were released, and after landing on the Island of Cuba they 
walked to the Havana, glad to escape with their lives. 

I was told by several Americans who were concerned in the 
Havana trade at this time, that it often happened that the same 
coffee was sold in this market two or three times over ; that the 
spies of the pirates watched the vessels about to sail, and as soon 
as they left port would capture them ; take their cargoes on 
shore to some part of the coast, put the coffee into new bags, 
bring it back to the city and dispose of it as coming fresh from 
the plantations. At other times even this precaution was not 
attended to ; they would merely obliterate the marks and num- 
bers, and dispose of it with impunity. It often happened that 
the former shipper would recognize his coffee, but was afraid to 
make a complaint. 

A captain of a Baltimore vessel, in the trade to this place, 
told me he was robbed on one of his late voyages, near this port, 
and that he recognized one of the principal pirates in the streets 
of the Havana, but dare not divulge the fact, for fear of assassi- 
nation. I mention these circumstances to prove that the pirates 
were aided by the inhabitants of Cuba, to an alarming extent, 
and that these statements cannot, with truth, be contradicted. 
During the height of these piratical days, I made several voy- 
ages from Europe to New Orleans, and always took care to 
avoid coming in sight of Cuba, and, if possible, to pass by Cape 
St. Antonio in the night. 

After the piracies were suppressed, many of these miscreants 
made their escape to IsTew Orleans and other places, and went 
into the merchant service again, mingling with their fellow- 
men, as though they had been guilty of no crime. 



VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 381 

Seven years after this period, two or three of these desperate 
men who had escaped from Cuba, and thus far evaded punish- 
ment, were in New Orleans, and there shipped with Captain 
Thornby, in the brig Yineyard, for a passage to Philadelphia, 
in November, 1830. As soon as these men ascertained that 
there was a considerable sum of money on board, they decided 
to have it at all hazards, and not long after leaving port, con- 
spired to murder Captain T. and his mate, Mr. William Roberts, 
destroy the brig, and divide the money. Their leader, Charles 
Gibbs, and his associate in crime, Thomas J. "VYalmsley (a col- 
ored man), planned the bloody business. These hardened pi- 
rates had been long accustomed to robbery and murder, and 
probably desired a renewal of their former life. 

The crew of the Vineyard consisted of seven men exclusive 
of the captain and mate ; a portion of them, probably, united 
with Gibbs and Walmsley from motives of cupidity, and the 
remainder from the fear of losing their own lives by the hands 
of these desperate villains. Be that as it may, on the night of 
the 23d of November, fourteen days after leaving New Orleans, 
the bloody tragedy was performed ; the unfortunate captain and 
his mate were murdered, and their bodies thrown into the sea. 
There were fifty-four thousand Spanish dollars on board, and the 
day after the murder, they got the money and other valuable arti- 
cles on deck, and divided the spoil. They then steered for Long 
Island, and after gettingnear Southampton, manned the two boats, 
putting half the money into each, scuttled and set fire to the brig, 
and then pulled away for the shore. In the surf the jolly-boat 
filled, and a considerable portion of the money was lost. At 
length they landed on Barron Island, and there buried in the 
sand what they had saved. Some of them soon divulged the 
whole transaction to the inhabitants of Southampton, when they 
were all arrested, taken prisoners to New York, and there tried 
in the United States Court, in February, 1831. Gibbs and 
"Walmsley were condemned to be hung on the 23d of April, 
and their bodies given to the College of Physicians and Surgeons 
for dissection. The others were acquitted. 

I had been acquainted with Captain Thornby for many 



382 VOYAGE IN THE SCHOONER SWAN. 

years, and always found him a kind, humane gentleman, and 
deeply regretted his untimely fate. 

After these two men were condemned to death, a friend of 
mine, captain in the United States Navy, and who was long 
employed in the laudable service of hunting out and punishing 
these desperate pirates in and around the Island of Cuba, told 
me he had the curiosity to visit Gibbs while in prison, and there 
conversed with him about the different gangs of these brigands 
and their places of resort, hiding holes, etc., etc. After a free 
communication, Gibbs said to my friend : " I suppose, Captain 

, you think it quite a difficult matter to make a pirate, 

but I can assure you it is not so ; on the contrary, I can make 
an excellent pirate in the course of a few weeks, even of a pious 
young man." On being questioned how, he replied as follows : 
" In one of our cruises we took a vessel with a crew of some 
eight or ten men. Among them were two stout young fellows, 
who we thought would be useful to us, and therefore agreed 
among ourselves to make them join us. Accordingly, all the 
crew were killed in their presence. After this we put a rope 
around each of their necks, with a block to the main-yard, to 
hang them. They were then blindfolded. When every thing 
was thus prepared, we asked them whether, to save their lives, 
they would join us, and become pirates ? They gladly assented 
to the terms, which were not only to unite with us, but also to 
do all the killing required of them. Accordingly, the next ves- 
sel we captured, they performed all the butchery, and, in a few 
weeks, became first-rate pirates." 



CHAPTER XXX. 

VOYAGE FROM NEW YORK TO CADIZ, AND THENCE TO ST. THOMAS AND 
ALVARADO, IN THE BRIG " NYMPH," OF NEW YORK, IN THE YEARS 1823 
AND 1824. 

The Nymph was owned by Richard M. Lawrence, Esq., and 
myself, jointly, and commanded by Freegift Coggeshall, junior. 
We purchased this vessel in New York, on the 22d of August, 
1823, and after making some little repairs, commenced loading 
her, on the 1st of September, with an assorted cargo of beef, 
pork, flour, bread, rice and other articles of provision for Cadiz. 

At this period Cadiz was besieged by a French army, com- 
manded by the Duke of Angouleme, and blockaded by a large 
fleet of French men-of-war, consisting of twelve line-of-battle 
ships, several frigates, sloops-of-war and gunboats, amounting, 
in all, to twenty sail. Most of them were anchored at the 
mouth of the harbor. 

The King of Spain, Ferdinand YIL, was at this time con- 
fined to Cadiz, and not allowed to leave that city ; he was, in 
fact, a state prisoner to the Cortes and to the generals command- 
ing the armies of Spain. The principal general and commander- 
in-chief of the Spanish armies, at this period, was Riego. Know- 
ing that Cadiz was a strongly fortified place, I thought the town 
would probably hold out for several months, at least long enough 
to give me time to get there with a cargo of provisions before it 
should yield, and consequently, I predicated the success of the 
voyage on evading the blockade. 

The Nymph was a good sailing brig, burden 181 tons, or 
1,500 barrels. We had a large quantity of butter and lard ; the 
whole invoice of the cargo amounted to $9,069. I was super- 



384 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 

cargo, having taken a young cousin of mine as captain. I also 
took with me Mr. Edward Brown as chief mate. Mr. Brown 
had been in my employ for many years as master and mate, and 
was fully competent to act in either capacity, being a thorough- 
bred seaman, and a most faithful, trustworthy man. The Mr. 
B. here spoken of I have frequently mentioned in my early voy- 
ages, and, in particular, on one to the West Indies in the "Betsey 
and Polly" of New Haven, in which vessel he was chief, and I 
second mate. With these officers and a crew of six men, we 
sailed from New York on the 10th of September. We cleared 
for Gibraltar, but in fact were bound for Cadiz. We had gen- 
erally light and contrary winds during the greater part of the 
passage, and made slow progress to the eastward. Every thing 
' went on quietly, and in good order. We had an excellent crew 
and good officers. The brig, it is true, leaked a little too much 
for comfort, and the sailors were obliged to spend a great por- 
tion of their time at the pumps ; still, there was no grumbling 
or discontent, every one was happy, and willing to do his duty 
cheerfully. 

On the 12th of October, we made Cape St. Yincent, thirty- 
one days from New York. The wind was light from the south- 
ward, and the weather clear and pleasant. I hauled close in 
shore, and the next day made Cape St. Mary ; at eleven a. m., 
it bore north three or four miles distant. Lat. by obs. 36° 55' 
N., long. 7° 52' W. I hugged the shore during the day, and 
spoke several fishermen, in the hope of getting some informa- 
tion respecting the blockading squadron off Cadiz, but found 
them so stupid and ignorant, that I could obtain no reliable in- 
telligence. I had been several times to Cadiz, and was well ac- 
quainted with the harbor and its vicinity, and therefore resolved 
to rely on my own resources, and trust to good fortune and per- 
severance. It was blowing fresh from the westward, and my 
plan was to pass rapidly through the fleet, so that in the confu- 
sion which would naturally be created by my sudden dash, I 
concluded it would be impossible for them to lire into my brig 
without doing more injury to each other than to me. On a 
dark night it is extremely difficult to throw shot into a small 
vessel, when quickly passing through a fleet. 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 385 

I cautiously approached the port, got sight of the light-house 
just before midnight, and then hove to for an hour for the moon 
to go down. Thus far, every thing appeared to favor my pros- 
pects of success. At half-past twelve, midnight, it being dark 
and somewhat squally, I filled away, passed the light-house 
at two a. m., and soon after let go my anchor in the inner harbor 
of Cadiz. Here I anxiously waited for daylight. I had seen 
no men-of-war at the mouth of the harbor, and began to. fear 
that the blockade was raised, and impatiently watched the 
first dawn of the morning to ascertain the situation of things 
around me. 

Light soon came, and I found myself surrounded by the 
French fleet ; the ships-of-the-line and the frigates were at anchor 
off in the bay, while the sloops-of-war and gunboats were all 
around us. 

I was at first disappointed and chagrined at my bad for- 
tune, and observed to the captain that I feared I should never 
be able to profit by entering a blockaded port, as this was the 
second time I had been defeated in a similar attempt ; the first 
time, in the Sea-Serpent, we were too late entering Callao. He 
observed, " it is true we have been disappointed ; but I have 
no doubt you will surmount every difficulty, and ultimately 
make a good voyage." I thanked him for his good opinion ; 
and observed, in reply, " that we should always be governed in 
this world by circumstances, and not repine at what had already 
transpired." 

It soon appeared that we had arrived a little too late. "We 
got in on the 14th of October, after a long passage of thirty-three 
days, and the place had surrendered to the French fleet and 
army about a week previous to our arrival. Ours was the second 
American vessel that arrived after the city fell into the hands 
of the French. The Baltimore pilot-boat schooner Blucher ar- 
rived, with a full cargo of flour, four days before us, I think two 
days after the blockade was raised. 

"We were soon visited by the health-boat, and ordered to 
remove up the bay to the eastward of the city, and there per- 
form twelve days' quarantine, although every person on board 
was perfectly well. To enforce the quarantine laws, a small 
25 



386 VOYAGE IN THE BEIG NYMPH. 

Spanish government schooner, commanded by a lieutenant in 
the navy, with about thirty men, was placed in the quarantine- 
ground to watch me, and prevent my having any communica- 
tion with the shore, or any other boat or vessel, during the pre- 
scribed period of my detention. 

I did not regret being placed in quarantine for a few days ; 
on the contrary, I deemed it a privilege, under present circum- 
stances, to delay the sale of my cargo in a glutted port. Stag- 
nation always takes place on the removal of a blockade, and, as 
extremes generally follow each other in quick succession, I 
knew it was my policy to wait patiently a reaction in the 
market. 

There was a garrison of French soldiers and a large fleet to 
be fed, besides the inhabitants of the city, and the adjacent 
towns of Porto Santa Maria, St. Lucar, and many other small 
towns and villages in the vicinity of the once beautiful and flour- 
ishing city of Cadiz, now broken down, spiritless, and sinking 
under the pressure of party dissension, priestcraft, bigotry and 
foreign inteference. 

It is a singular fact that, in Spain, defrauding the revenue 
is not considered a moral wrong by a large portion of the 
people, and, by many, rather a merit than a disgrace ; they 
consider it as only falling in with the practice of the nation, 
from the king down to the petty contrabandista, who smug- 
gles a single pound of tobacco. This principle, sanctioned or 
connived at by so large a portion of the community, is, no 
doubt, one great cause of their degradation and approaching 
downfall. With the masses, the prevalent feeling is, that their 
rulers make bad laws, and that it is a virtue to break them in 
every way in their power. 

Among the upper classes, duplicity and intrigue are studied 
as a science, and, though parties may disagree in other respects, 
they each strive in a smaller or greater degree to defraud the 
church and state government ; still, perhaps, there is no country 
on earth where individual punctuality and honor are held more 
sacred than in Spain ; this principle is carried out to an aston- 
ishing degree even among the professed contrabandistas. "While 
1 was lying in this port, an American captain, from an eastern 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 387 

port of the United States, who was rather " green " with respect 
to the Spanish character, and knew not a word of the language, 
attempted to smuggle a considerable portion of his cargo, with- 
out the knowledge of his consignee in Cadiz. After disposing 
of several articles at a great profit, he grew bold, and gave his 
custom-house officer so small a compensation that a quarrel en- 
sued between them ; the officer, in a great rage, went on shore 
and informed against the captain ; the custom-house search-boat 
came immediately off to examine the vessel, and seize all the 
cargo not manifested. Fortunately for the captain it was very 
near night, and the officers had only time to find a few trifling 
articles, but made their arrangements to go off in the morning, 
and take out all the cargo not on the manifest. In the evening, 
after the custom-house boat left the vessel, the captain came on 
shore to the house of his consignee in a great fright, and told 
the whole story to Don H. I was conversing with the worthy 
merchant at the time, and he observed that he should be a 
ruined man if Mr. H. could not get him out of the scrape. Mr. 
II. heard the captain's story, and told him he had done very 
wrong to attempt smuggling on so large a scale, without any 
knowledge of the place or language, but directed him to keep 
cool and quiet, and said that he would get him out of trouble ; 
that it would necessarily cost considerable money, and he hoped 
it would be a good lesson for him hereafter to act more pru- 
dently. 

I told the unhappy, agitated captain to sit down and remain 
quiet, and leave every thing in the hands of his consignee. 
Mr. H. rang the bell for a servant, who soon appeared, and was 
ordered to request Mr. , the head clerk of his counting- 
office, to come to him without delay. The order was promptly 
obeyed, when he sent for the chief of a gang of notorious smug- 
glers, told him the whole story, and observed that every thing 
not reported on the manifest of the vessel must be taken out be- 
fore daylight the next morning, and the goods all concealed in 
a place of perfect safety, to be forthcoming when he should re- 
quire them. For a certain sum a bargain was made with this 
desperate man, that he and his comrades should perform their 
part of the business in good faith. The merchant then gave the 



388 VOYAGE IN THE BEIG NYMPH. 

captain a note to the custom-house officer, or guard on board, to 
come directly to his house, and directed the captain to remain 
on board himself, and deliver every article of merchandise not 
inserted on the manifest to the smugglers. The guard came on 
shore, and agreed to keep out of the way for a fair compensa- 
tion, and to return on board just before daylight, and then be 
ready to assist the officers of the customs to find all the contra- 
band goods. Agreeable to promise, the smugglers took out all 
the goods during the night ; and the next morning, when the 
custom-house boat went on board, they found nothing but what 
was regularly entered, and thus the whole affair ended without 
further trouble. The merchant sold the goods very well soon 
after, and the captain saved his vessel and cargo by this adroit 
management of his consignee. 

It is absurd for a stranger or a parsimonious man to at- 
tempt smuggling in Spain. What I mean by a stranger is 
a man who knows nothing of the character of the people, 
and attempts to cheat the officers out of their proportion of 
the duties. In a word : with smugglers, and even with rob- 
bers, good faith must always be observed to the letter and the 
spirit. 

After this digression I will return to the question of right 
and wrong with respect to smuggling. I have before said that 
it is all wrong ; still, when a whole nation agrees to deceive 
and defraud the government, it is difficult for a stranger to stem 
the current. For example : I will commence with King Ferdi- 
nand VII. The liberal party declared him to be a vile bigot 
and a consummate hypocrite, and that he connived with the 
bishops and priests to gull and rob the people ; that his prime 
minister defrauded the nation of many millions yearly ; that 
the high officers of state pocketed all in their power for their 
own private purposes ; and thus this system of fraud and pecu- 
lation descended down to the petty custom-house officers, who 
are always ready to take the smallest " gratification " in the 
way of fee or presents. 

At this period, it was melancholy to see a whole nation di- 
vided against itself. The liberal and enlightened party leaders 
were obliged to fly their country. Many members of the Cortes 



VOYAGE IN THE BEIG NYMPH. 389 

went to Gibraltar and other places, to save their lives from the 
fury of the King's party. In line, the French officers found it 
difficult to restrain the parties from destroying each other. 
Many of the best and most enlightened patriots of the country 
were cut off by treachery and violence ; and the general cry of 
the ignorant, bigoted classes, by night and day, was " Yiva el 
Key Fernando Septimo ; viva la religion catolica ; viva la in- 
quisicion ; abajo los infideles liberales." 

The government of France, under Louis XVIIL, at this time 
sent a powerful army into Spain, under the command of the Duke 
of Angouleme, to liberate and assist Ferdinand VII., and his 
party of priests and bigots, and to disperse and chase away from 
Spain the enlightened, patriotic band, who were endeavoring to 
regenerate their unhappy country. Thus the little light that 
began to dawn on this unfortunate nation was soon extinguished 
by the priests and ignorant classes, in combination with the old 
Bourbon party in France, with Louis XVIIL at its head. 

At the expiration of twelve days I got pratique, and was al- 
lowed to discharge my cargo. By a regulation between the 
French and Spanish governments, flour and provisions for the 
French army and navy were admitted duty free. I accordingly 
sold my cargo to the French commissary, and by this arrange- 
ment made a freight on the whole. 

In about twenty-five days after my arrival, I had sold nearly 
all my cargo, and soon engaged a freight for Alvarado. During 
our stay here, we had much bad weather, which is generally the 
case at this season of the year. Cadiz is very subject during 
the winter months, to strong gales from the westward and much 
rain. The unfavorable state of the weather prolonged my stay, 
and frequently prevented me from landing any thing for two or 
three consecutive days. Having now sold and discharged every 
thing, my first care was to send home to my friend Lawrence 
all the money I had, except $1,300, which I kept to purchase 
sundry small articles to till up the brig : I also retained suffi- 
cient funds to pay all my port charges, &c, &c, while in Ca- 
diz. I remitted $2,000 to New York, by the schooner Imperial, 
Captain Gill, and also from Gibraltar, through Horatio Sprague, 
Esq., $5,500. My freight to Alvarado, exclusive of owners' 



390 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 

property, amounted to $3,000. Besides this, I had twenty-two 
cabin passengers, including men, women and children; — for 
these, the price of passage was — for adults, $130, and half price 
for children and servants. 

The NyrrupKs cabin was large, she having been formerly a 
Mobile packet. I made an arrangement with my captain and 
mate, for a certain gratuity, to lodge in the steerage, and had a 
small house built on the quarter-deck for myself, giving the 
passengers the whole cabin for their accommodation. Several 
of them were gentlemen and ladies of considerable distinction. 
They were generally military men, and among them were a 
colonel, a major, two captains and several lieutenants and their 
wives — mostly natives of Caraccas and Porto Rico, who had 
been many years in the armies of Spain during the peninsular 
wars. Though some of them were native Spaniards, they all 
belonged to the liberal party, and were now leaving Spain to 
seek shelter and employment in Caraccas, Porto Rico, and other 
parts of Spanish America. 

About ten days before leaving Cadiz, while in the midst of 
apparent prosperity, I received a letter from my long-tried and 
worthy friend, Jonathan Lawrence, Esq., of New York, giving 
me the melancholy intelligence that my only little daughter was 
no more. She died on the 18th of October, 1823, aged about 
eighteen months, after an illness of six weeks. She was a 
promising, interesting child, and this stroke of death was to me 
a most severe affliction. 

One little year had but just elapsed since the decease of my 
beloved wife, and I began sensibly to feel that 

" 'Twas ever thus ; from childhood's hour 

I've seen my fondest hopes decay ; 
I never loved a plant or flower 

But it was first to fade away ; 
I never nursed a dear gazelle, 

To soothe me with its soft black eye, 
But when it came to know me well, 

And love me — it was sure to die ! " 

I will not indulge further in my own grief, but again resume the 
thread of my narrative. 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 391 

It was a sad sight to witness the persecutions practised 
against the leading men of the liberal party. They were, as I 
have before said, flying in every direction. Some of the most 
talented and conspicuous were so obnoxious to the tyrannical 
government of Ferdinand YIL, that in many cases they were 
afraid to apply to the public authorities for passports. Several 
of my passengers were placed in this unpleasant predicament ; 
and I was happy to have it in my power to aid them in making 
their escape from Cadiz. For example, Colonel Munoz, in a 
sort of disguised dress, took my arm at twilight, passed through 
the gates of the city, and went on board my brig, where he re- 
mained quietly unobserved for two days before I left Cadiz. 

A day or two previous to our sailing, Captain Letamindi, of 
the Spanish army, applied to me for a passage for himself, wife 
and two children. I had then eighteen passengers engaged, 
and had no more room in the cabin. He was extremely anx- 
ious that I should take him with his military friends. He said 
himself and family would lodge anywhere I should choose to 
place them, and put up with any kind of fare ; that his means 
were nearly exhausted, and that he could pay me but $100 for 
himself and family. His friends and former companions were 
all anxious that he should go, but none of them were over- 
stocked with money. They all said Captain L. was an excellent 
man, and that his wife was a charming, lady-like person ; and 
if I would consent to take them, they ( the passengers) would 
club together and purchase stores for him and his family. I 
told Captain L., that if himself and family would consent to 
sleep in the after hold of the brig, I would have a room fitted 
up for them there, and endeavor to make them comfortable ; 
that they should eat at the table with the cabin passengers, and, 
if his friends were willing to provide him with some little ne- 
cessary stores, they could do so ; but if this was not perfectly 
convenient to him, I would lay in enough for every person on 
board. Captain Letamindi and his wife were delighted at my 
offer, and forthwith embarked. 

We got all our stores and passengers on board on the 5th, 
and the next day, Dec. 6th, at eight o'clock in the morning, 
sailed from Cadiz bound for St. Thomas, after remaining in that 



392 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 

port fifty-three days. At noon we discharged the pilot outside 
the harbor. Had light airs from the N. W., and fine weather. 
At five p. m., the light-house bore east, five leagues distant. 

As usual, a large proportion of my passengers were sea-sick 
during the first two or three days ; after which time, however, 
they all recovered, and appeared to be happy and agreeable to 
each other. The winds were light and the weather generally 
good for several days. 

At eight o'clock in the morning, on the 13th of December, 
we made three islands called the Deserters, in the neighborhood 
of Madeira. These islands lie in lat. 32° 22' K, long. 16° 25' 
"W". Three days after, at five o'clock in the afternoon, passed 
near two small islands called tho Salvages. I have on a former 
voj^age described these rock islands, and will only remark that 
they lie in lat. 30° 13' K, long. 15° 42' W. The next morning 
at eight o'clock we saw the Peak of Teneriffe, bearing S. by W., 
seventy-five miles distant ; at ten a. m., saw the Island of Palma, 
bearing S. W., about ten leagues off. December the 18th, at 
noon, passed very near the Island of Gomera ; the weather be- 
ing fine, I ran close in shore on the S. E. side of the island, and 
hove to off the little harbor of St. Sebastian. I sent the mate 
and two seamen, with two of our Spanish passengers on shore 
in our own boat, to get a few casks of water, and if possible, 
some poultry, and a sheep or two. The mate returned in about 
an hour without water or any thing else. The Governor sent 
word thai; he had no provisions in the town, but if we could 
wait until the next morning, he would send into the country for 
sheep, poultry and various kinds of fruit, and that we should be 
supplied with all the provisions and water we required. I was 
inclined to take him at his word and remain off the harbor until 
the next morning, but most of my passengers objected ; they 
said the island belonged to Spain, and they were afraid they 
should be detained if once placed in the power of an ignorant 
Governor. I reluctantly complied with their request, and left 
the island and the same little port at which Columbus first 
touched for water and fresh provisions, in 1492, sixteen days 
after leaving Palos, in the bay of Cadiz. He left Gomera on 
the sixth ^of September, after remaining there sixteen days ; this 



VOYAGE IN THE BKIG NYMPH. 393 

island lies in lat. 28° 6' K, long. 17° 8' W. The next day we 
took the 1ST. E. trade-winds, and ran down to the southward and 
westward, precisely on the same track taken by Columbus on 
his first voyage to St. Salvador, in 1492. 

We now had fine weather, and constant fair winds day after 
day. We took our meals under an awning on the quarter-deck, 
and every thing went on pleasantly, and all appeared happy 
and contented. In the evening, the sound of the guitar, accom- 
panied with sweet voices, beguiled the time, and the whole 
scene was peace and tranquillity ; I never saw a more agreea- 
ble company of passengers on ship-board than were these ladies 
and gentlemen. Not an unpleasant word was uttered during 
the whole voyage, to mar our social intercourse and friendly 
enjoyment. So far as my experience and observation go, the 
educated classes of Spain are very social and agreeable. 

For many days, running down the trade-winds to the west- 
ward, we averaged about one hundred and seventy miles per 
day, scarcely shifting a sail. During this passage I had many 
a long conversation with Colonel Mufioz, Captain Letamindi, 
and the other military gentlemen, on the situation of Spain, 
both with respect to its then moral and j)olitical position. 

These gentlemen had been for many years attached to the 
armies of Spain, and one of them was perfectly familiar with 
all the court intrigue at Madrid, having been for some years 
attached to the royal household. It is true they all belonged 
to the liberal party, and appeared to have very little feeling or 
charity for their opponents : still they were perfectly acquainted 
with the state of the nation, and I have since found that their 
representations and prognostications were just and true. They 
all averred that the leaders of the liberal constitutional party 
had made a great mistake in exercising so much lenity towards 
the priests and bigots of the royal party ; and in particular their 
famous leader, General Riego, who at one time had the supreme 
power in his own hands, and who boasted that he should be 
able to regenerate the nation, and give them a permanent con- 
stitution and a liberal government, without shedding a single 
drop of blood. This visionary belief, and too much confidence 
in royal honor, cost him his life, and overthrew his party, not- 



394 VOYAGE IN THE BEIG NYMPH. 



withstanding he had spared the life of Ferdinand the Seventh - 
on several occasions when he was within his power, particularly 
in one instance when the king and General Riego were on 
their way from Madrid to Cadiz, and were obliged to pass 
through a certain town where the people were very much in- 
censed against him, and threatened to destroy him. Ferdinand, 
fearing an outbreak, and trembling for his personal security, 
took the general by the arm, calling him his Querido Riego, 
and begged him for God's sake to save him from the fury of the 
populace ; but mark the contrast between the conduct of a lib- 
eral, humane general, and a bigoted, hard-hearted king. When 
the tables were reversed, and he and his party came into power 
by the assistance of the French, he ordered General Riego to 
be tried by a military tribunal, who condemned him to be pub- 
licly executed at Madrid. At the execution, the fury of the 
bigoted populace knew no bounds ; they cut his body into a 
thousand pieces, and vied with each other in desecrating his re- 
mains. Even at this time many of the best patriots and the 
most enlightened men belonging to Spain, were hunted and pur- 
sued like wild beasts. The grand mistake the liberal party 
made was, in not cutting off the heads of the royal leaders, 
breaking up the convents, and destroying the power of the 
priests. Had such a man as Napoleon or Bolivar been at the 
head of the constitutional party, the whole nation would, long 
ere this period, have been radically and thoroughly regen- 
erated. 

It is vain, in an old, corrupt country like Spain, to think of 
a thorough and permanent reform without much blood-letting, 
and of this fact all the enlightened men of the nation are now 
fully convinced. One of these gentlemen told me that during 
Riego's administration, committees were appointed to visit every 
part of the country, converse with the small farmers and peas- 
ants, endeavor to establish schools among them, to enlighten 
them and their children, and diffuse elementary and useful 
books through the whole nation. This gentleman told me he 
was one of the number, that he had visited and conversed with 
many of the country people, stated to them that the object of 
the constitutional party was to reduce their taxes, educate their 



VOYAGE m THE BRIG NYMPH. 395 

children, and in every respect to benefit their condition. He 
said they would listen to his representations, and for a moment 
appear to concur with him, but at the next breath, the force of 
habit and superstition would predominate, and then their an- 
swer was, that all these things appeared good and fair ; still, 
said they, we are told that the liberal party wish to destroy our 
faith in our holy Catholic religion, and make infidels of us and 
our children ; and certainly, if this is the case, it is far better 
for us to live here in ignorance and poverty for a few years, 
than to have all the wealth the world can give, and then die 
and go to a place of torment for ever. He said it required the 
patience of a saint to talk with the poor, ignorant peasantry, and 
with old people it was a hopeless case to expect any change for 
the better ; but when their children were removed to the towns 
and cities, they had been successful in training them to think a 
little on the subject of popular instruction, and had not France 
intermeddled with their quarrels — even without a master spirit 
at the head of the nation — they would eventually have succeed- 
ed in bringing about a general reform. These patriotic men 
sighed over the unhappy state of their country, and one of the 
ladies wept like a child when she took her last look at Cadiz. 
She said she loved her country, and hoped to revisit it again 
when God should bless them with a liberal government, founded 
upon j ust and enlightened principles. 

On "Wednesday, January 7th, at four o'clock in the morn- 
ing, we made the Island of Deseada, bearing west, five leagues 
distant. Two hours after, we saw the Island of Guadaloupe. 
The wind was constantly from the eastward, and the weather 
fine, and thus we sailed down among the West India Islands, 
passing one and making another ahead, which created renewed 
interest to my passengers, and kept up a very pleasant excite- 
ment during the whole day. 

Jan. 8th, 182-i. — In the morning we passed St. Kitts, St. 
Eustatia and Saba Islands. We had fresh breezes from the IS". 
E., and fine, pleasant weather. At noon, Virgin Gorda Island 
bore north, ten miles ; St. Croix in sight, bearing southwest, fif- 
teen miles distant. At four o'clock in the afternoon, came to 



396 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 

anchor at St. Thomas, after a passage of thirty-two days from 
Cadiz, every person on board in perfect health. 

Jan. 9th. — Landed all my passengers, twenty-one in num- 
ber, except one, (a native of Vera Cruz, a female servant, sent 
from Cadiz by her friends in that city to her family in Yera 
Cruz.) The greater part of my passengers left St. Thomas in a 
few days for Caraccas, some few went to Porto Eico and La- 
guira, and with the exception of four of them, namely, Captain 
Letamindi and his family, whom I subsequently met in Guaya- 
quil, we probably separated forever. I parted with these ladies 
and gentlemen with sincere regret, and should be most happy 
to meet them again, if chance should ever throw us together. 

At St. Thomas I discharged my young captain, he being de- 
sirous to return home. I here laid in a fresh supply of cabin 
and ship stores, and also purchased sundry articles to dispose of 
at Alvarado, such as a few barrels of sugar, sundry bags of cof- 
fee, and some other small articles. We also had some calking 
done on the brig, got both pumps repaired, &c, &c, and after 
lying in the port of St. Thomas eight days, made sail at seven 
o'clock in the morning, on the 16th of January, bound for Al- 
varado, in the Gulf of Mexico. For several days after leaving 
St. Thomas, we had moderate breezes from the N". E. and E. N. 
E., and generally averaged about one hundred and thirty miles 
distance per day, during a period of three or four days. We 
ran down to the westward, along the south coast of the islands 
of Porto Rico and St. Domingo, and thence along the south side 
of Jamaica. In this vicinity we experienced much calm weath- 
er, and were in sight of the island for the space of five days. 
The passage thus far had been extremely long and tedious. 

On the 25th, a fresh breeze sprang up from the N. E., and 
fine weather ; we now steered more to the northward, and ran 
through the passage between the west end of Cuba and Cape 
Catoche, and then along the coast of Yucatan. The Nym/ph 
leaked badly, and the leak appeared to increase daily. After 
getting clear of the north coast of Yucatan, we experienced a 
norther which blew with great violence ; double reefed the top- 
sails, and furled the mainsail and trysail, and though the wind 
blew tremendously, the weather was quite clear. This gale oc- 






CO 



a: 



J 



& 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 397 

curred on Sunday, February 1st, in lat. 22° T N., on the Catoche 
bank, in twenty-five fathoms of water. The next day the weather 
moderated, when we again made sail and steered on our course 
with light winds from the eastward. 

On Friday, the 6th, made the high land on the coast of Tobas- 
co, and the next day saw Point Roca Partida. The latitude of this 
point is 18° 43' N., long. 94° 59' W. We had, during the day, 
light winds from the eastward, and clear, pleasant weather. 

On the 9th, in the morning, we arrived off the bar of Alva- 
rado. The entrance to the harbor lies between two sand-banks, 
some thirty or forty feet high. These sand-banks render Alva- 
rado a very blind port, and I found it very difficult to discover 
the gap or entrance until we approached within a short distance 
of the bar. At one hour after noon, we took a pilot and ran 
over the bar, and at three o'clock came to anchor, and moored 
ship with two bower anchors ; twenty-three days from St. 
Thomas, all well. I felt myself extremely fortunate in getting 
safe into this little port; the weather was fine, with a light 
breeze from the N. E., and a very smooth sea. There were 
only ten and a half feet at this time on the bar, and the Nym/ph 
drew about ten feet, so that we had very little water to spare. 

I here employed the very respectable house of Messrs. Reilly 
& Suberville, to assist me to transact my business. I found in 
this port but a small number of vessels, and nearly all of these 
were American : the brig Merced, Captain Russell, and the 
schooners Dolphin, Captain Copeland, and Fly, Captain Yan 
Dine, of New York ; there were also two or three small vessels 
from Philadelphia and Baltimore, one U. S. schooner, com- 
manded by Lieutenant Zantzinger, and I think two Mexican 
schooners ; one of them was the Anahuac, Captain Cochran. 
These schooners were placed here to guard and protect the 
trade at Alvarado. At St. Thomas I cleared out for New Or- 
leans as a precautionary measure, and put into this port in dis- 
tress, so that if I should meet with any difficulty in consequence 
of my having loaded in a Spanish place, I should have liberty 
to leave it, and pursue my voyage to New Orleans. We had 
some difficulty for a day or two at the custom-house, on the 
subject of allowing me to enter and discharge ray cargo. The 



398 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG NYMPH. 

question grew out of the construction of a decree of the Mexican 
government, passed in the city of Mexico, on the 8th of last 
October. That decree allowed the goods and productions of 
Spain to be admitted into Mexican ports until four months after 
the passage of the act, and then declared that all the goods and 
productions of Spain brought into Mexico after the expiration 
of the four months, should be seized and confiscated to the Mex- 
ican government. 

I arrived at this port on the 9th of February, one day after 
the expiration of the four months, but as the law was not pro- 
mulgated here until the 14th of October, it still gave me four or 
five days to enter and discharge, and so it was finally construed 
and settled, that I should have liberty to discharge and sell my 
cargo. The fact is, the government wanted the duties, and the 
people wanted the goods. In the management of this voyage, 
I made one grand mistake. If in lieu of sending my funds home 
from Cadiz, I had laid them out in the goods and products of 
Spain, I should have made an immense vo}^age for myself and 
my friend. The small amount that I invested for paper, oil, 
raisins, etc., in Cadiz, say about $1,300, sold here for $4,200, 
and netted, after paying duties, commissions and all other 
charges, $3,500. Barrels of wine that cost $9, were here worth 
from $35 to $40, and small barrels of brandy $50 per barrel. 
Oil that cost in Cadiz $1 per jar, was here worth from $5 to $6 ; 
paper that cost in Cadiz $2 per ream, brought $7 ; raisins that 
cost but 90 cents per box, I sold for $3, and almost every other 
article in a like proportion. The whole country appeared to be 
quite bare of the goods and productions of Spain, and my little 
cargo commanded almost any price. 

At this period the castle of San Juan de Ulloa was in pos- 
session of a Spanish garrison, and no vessels were allowed to 
enter the harbor of Vera Cruz ; consequently the whole com- 
merce of Yera Cruz was carried on through Alvarado ; this was 
the nearest port, and could only be ^entered by small vessels. 
The castle of San Juan de Ulloa was at war with all Mexico, it 
being at this time the last and only place where the Spanish 
flag was flying on the continent of America, except Callao, the 
seaport of Lima. 



VOYAGE IN THE BEIG NYMPH. 399 

I had now, after some difficulty, obtained permission to land 
my cargo, and early in the morning, on the 11th of Feb., com- 
menced landing some light articles in our own boats. At noon, 
however, we were obliged to stop discharging, clear the decks 
and prepare for a violent norther, which had commenced in 
good earnest. We sent down top-gallant masts and yards, 
braced the lower and topsail yards to the wind, veered out a 
long scope of chain cable, and made every other preparation to 
ride out a violent gale from the north. 

The U. S. schooner Shark, commanded by Captain Stevens, 
was lying at anchor at Point Liserdo, some eighteen or twenty 
miles distant from Alvarado, and as the Spanish garrison at 
San Juan de Ulloa was at open war with Mexico, Captain Ste- 
vens was closely watching the trade, both at Vera Cruz and 
Alvarado. He was an active, vigilant officer; and always 
ready and willing to protect his countrymen and their com- 
mercial interests. Not long previous to this period, Peter Har- 
mony, Esq., of New York, had placed in the castle of San Juan 
de Ulloa a considerable amount of property, for safe keeping, 
and being anxious to avail himself of the influence of Captain 
Stevens to recover and secure it from both of the belligerent 
parties, wrote to Captain Henry Russell, commanding the brig 
Merced of New York, to open a communication with -the castle, 
through the influence of the commanding officer of the United 
States squadron in the Gulf of Mexico. Captain Russell com- 
municated his wishes to Captain Stevens, on the subject of pro- 
ceeding with him to the castle of San Juan de Ulloa. Captain 
Stevens promptly complied with the request, and said he would 
proceed with him the next day. Captain Stevens was at this 
time at Alvarado, in his gig boat, with his second lieutenant, 
Mr. Hobbs, four stout seamen and a cockswain ; besides his own 
boat's crew, he took with him Captain Henry Russell and 
George Dekay, Esq. The last named gentleman went with 
them as interpreter, being perfectly familiar with the Spanish 
language. After having provided themselves with all ne- 
cessary stores for the voyage, at seven o'clock in the morning, 
on the 11th of October, they started from Alvarado in this little 
boat for the schooner Shark, then lying at anchor at Point 



400 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG NYMPH. 

Liserdo, in a direct line with the castle. When they left the 
port, the weather was fine, and not wind enough to rufile the 
water. After taking leave of their countrymen on the beach, 
they started — to use their own words — " with light hearts and 
joyous spirits," alternately sailing and rowing, expecting in a 
few days to return and meet us, and talk over the incidents of 
the boat voyage to the seat of war. 

They proceeded slowly on their course about twelve or fifteen 
miles, so that at noon they came in sight of the schooner Shark, 
lying at anchor : and now mark the change, — in an instant as it 
were, the calm was succeeded by a violent norther, leaving 
them no alternative but to bear up and run before the wind, and 
endeavor to regain the little blind port of Alvarado, which was, 
fortunately for them, directly under their lee. They scudded 
for a time under bare poles, until the sea rose so high that they 
found it dangerous to run without something to force the boat 
faster than the sea, which began to comb and break over them. 
Captain Stevens calmly ordered his men to set a reefed foresail 
to accelerate the motion of the boat, and thus drive her like an 
arrow through the water. The sail was soon set, and the boat 
propelled by the fury of the wind, so that at times the water 
was some inches higher than the gunwale of the boat. Lieuten- 
ant Hobbs took his station on the look-out at the bows of the 
boat, supporting himself by the mast ; Captain Stevens conning 
the cockswain at the helm ; Captain Russell and Mr. Dekay 
sitting in the stern-sheets bailing out the water with their hats, 
and the men lying close down in the bottom of the boat. 

It must have been a sublime sigjit to witness the silent and 
calm resignation of the whole party, to the will of Him who 
rules the ocean, and governs the whirlwind at his own good 
pleasure. 

The most perfect order and self-possession prevailed; not a 
word was heard except from Captain Stevens to his lieutenant, 
to look out sharp for the bar at the entrance of the port, with 
now and then the words " steady, steady ; thus, my boy, thus," 
to the man at the helm. At times the boat was forced through 
the water with such rapidity that there was great danger of 
running her under. The water was combing over the bows like 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 401 

a river ; still it would not do to take in sail, and their only hope 
was in keeping the boat out of the way of the sea, and hitting 
the channel through the bar at the entrance of the little river, 
where the fury of the wind had lashed the sea into a white, 
boiling foam. In the midst of this appalling scene, the plug got 
out of the bottom of the boat, when Captain Russell thrust his 
thumb into the hole, and it was some moments before any thing 
else could be found to fill it. The sea was so high, that at times, 
notwithstanding the rapidity of the boat's motion, the tops of 
the white billows were washed over their heads, the boat strug- 
gling to free itself from the weight of the water that had forced 
itself on board. For two hours this heroic little band contended 
with these dangers, until a kind Providence aided their own 
good judgment, and directed them to the entrance of the chan- 
nel, when Lieutenant Hobbs conducted them 'through a little 
passage, between two immense breakers, and in a few moments 
after, they were within the bar and in the smooth water of the 
river. 

The writer of this miraculous escape was watching, with 
others on the beach, listening to the roaring of the surf and the 
howling of the tempest, and lamenting the sad fate of his 
worthy, but unfortunate countrymen, with expressions like these 
to each other — " Well, poor Stevens, Hobbs, Russell and Dekay, 
are no doubt all gone ; they are inevitably lost ; they can never 
survive the fury and violence of this tempest ; they have not 
had time to reach the Shark, and are now all doubtless swallow- 
ed up in the foaming billows." Judge, then, what must have 
been our joy and delight a moment after, to behold the little 
boat inside the bar, and a few moments after, in taking these 
half-drowned, whole-souled Americans by the hand. 

Those who have never witnessed such scenes, cannot fully 
understand and feel the full force of sympathy. The power of 
the pen and pencil cannot bring the subject home to the heart 
and soul, as the heart and eyes combined lay the whole scene 
open and naked before you. 

During my stay at Alvarado, I had many conversations with 
Captain Stevens on the subject of his miraculous escape. He 
said it was indeed a miracle, and that the finger of God was no 
26 



402 VOYAGE IN THE BEIG NYMPH. 

doubt in it. He said that he was now more than ever convinced 
that man should be a religious being ; that he had passed through 
many dangers at sea and on shore, had been in the battle and 
the storm, but had never felt himself in such imminent danger 
as in this instance. He was a brave, gallant man, and bore a 
conspicuous part on Lake Erie, under the heroic Perry, and I 
think he was also engaged in other naval actions during our late 
war with England. I do not recollect to what part of the Union 
Lieutenant Hobbs belonged, I think, however, it was Virginia ; 
he was a polished, gentlemanly, young man, about thirty or 
thirty-five years old, an excellent officer, and won the esteem 
of all who knew him. Captain Stevens is now dead, and 
whether Lieut. Hobbs is still living, I know not. 

The gale continued to increase, and at three o'clock in the 
afternoon it blew a perfect hurricane ; at four, my brig took the 
ground, brought home the anchors, and drove on shore on a hard 
sand-bank, where she lay thumping during the whole night, and 
making much water. 

The next day, February the 12th, the gale continued to 
blow with great fury from the north, our vessel still lying on 
the sand-bank, thumping with great violence ; the wind blew 
so severely that it was difficult for the inhabitants to get about 
the town ; the sand and dust were driven in clouds, and all 
kind of business was entirely suspended for the space of three 
days. Although the wind was so violent, the weather was 
perfectly clear and there was not a cloud to be seen in the 
heavens. On the 15th it moderated, and we discharged seve- 
ral boat-loads of cargo. The next day, we hove the vessel off 
the sand-bank, moored ship, and went on discharging the 
remainder of the cargo, which all came out dry, and in good 
condition. 

On the 18th I called a survey of ship-masters on the Nymjph. 
The survey ordered the sheathing of the brig taken off and the 
bottom calked temporarily, until it could be thoroughly and 
permanently done at some other port, there being no facilities 
for repairing ships or vessels at this place. Alvarado lies in lat. 
18° 46' K, long. 95° 38' "W. of London ; it is situated on the 
west bank of the river Alvarado, about one mile and a half 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 403 

above its mouth, and forty miles S. E. of Yera Cruz. The town 
is an insignificant place, with one church, and about one hun- 
dred to one hundred and fifty houses, most of which are one 
story high ; it may perhaps contain about 800 to 1000 inhabit- 
ants of all colors. They are a motley, mixed breed of various 
races, the Spaniard, Indian and African. The immediate vicini- 
ty is a barren, sandy desert, though at some distance from the 
town the land becomes very fertile and productive. After ad- 
vancing a few miles up the river, it opens into a kind of salt- 
water lake, which abounds with immense quantities of ex- 
cellent oysters ; wild game is also abundant, such as deer, hares 
and other animals ; wild ducks and sea-fowl are also numerous, 
and persons who are fond of shooting find here abun 
dant sporting. The climate is mild, and man can subsist with 
as little labor as in any part of the earth. The poorer classes 
live along the banks of the river in bamboo houses, which 
they erect in an hour or two ; they plant their Indian corn on 
the banks of the river, where it grows almost without culti- 
vation, and I am told produces abundantly ; when ripe enough 
to gather, they go in canoes and bring it to their houses, and 
Jiang it up by the husks on poles erected upon stakes driven 
into the ground. 

From the oyster banks, the} r can load a boat with fine oys- 
ters at low water in a few minutes. The plantain trees supply 
them with bread, and they are absolutely the most independent 
people I ever met with. If required to labor in town or on 
ship-board, they appear very careless about it, and always make 
their own terms for their services. If any objection is made to 
the price of wages, they reply that there are fish enough in the 
river to supply them with food, and that God has provided them 
with all that is necessary for their sustenance; consequently 
they become very indolent, and live a drowsy, sleepy sort of 
life, with but little more activity than the oysters that nourish 
and sustain them. By nature man is an indolent animal, and 
will only labor from necessity. It is true, that in cold, bracing 
climates, where men are compelled to labor and provide for 
winter, the habit of daily employment becomes to them a pleas- 
ure; but it is only from habit that they like it. Witness the In- 



404: VOYAGE IN THE BEIG NYMPH. 

dian tribes in the vast forests of North America, where they 
hunt the wild animals for a support ; — after killing a buffalo or 
wild ox, they build a fire, around which they gorge themselves 
with the flesh of the animal, and then sleep for several days, 
and when roused by hunger they again pursue the chase for 
something to supply them with more food : so that it is in fact, 
necessity alone that compels them to action. 

I had now decided to go from this port with my brig to the 
Havana, and accordingly advertised for freight and passengers 
to that port. I wrote to my friend E. M. Lawrence, of New 
York, to get two thousand dollars insured on freight from this 
port to the Havana, on a valued policy. I ballasted the JYymph 
with sand, and got her ready for sea with all possible dispatch ; 
settled my business with my consignees ; received the amount 
of my proportion of the cargo sold, freight money, &c, &c, ; 
and after getting about ten ceroons of cochineal, and eleven 
bales of red peppers on freight, with eleven cabin passengers, at 
one hundred dollars each, I was ready for sea. Previous to leav- 
ing this port, however, I shipped on board the schooner Fly, 
Captain Henry Yan Dine, five thousand dollars for account of 
E. M. Lawrence and myself, joint owners of the brig. There 
remained with me about sixteen hundred dollars more, belong- 
ing to ourselves jointly, which amount I concluded to take with 
me to the Havana. 

Having arranged my business matters and got all my 
passengers on board, we sailed on the 11th of March for the 
Havana. 

The next day, notwithstanding the weather was very fine 
and the sea smooth, the brig commenced leaking so that we 
found it necessary to pump every four hours. 

March \Zth. — Commenced with light winds from the E. S. 
E., with fine, clear, pleasant weather ; the leak still increasing 
to 200 strokes the hour. My passengers were clerical men and 
merchants, namely, six priests and friars, the remainder mer- 
chants and shop-keepers. The priests and friars began to be 
alarmed at the brig's making so much water, and inquired of me 
the cause, and whether it was not best and more prudent to re- 
turn to Alvarado. I had laid in sufficient stores and provisions 



VOYAGE IN THE BKIG NYMPH. 405 

for the voyage to Havana, and was very reluctant to return into 
port ; — I had received all the passage money, and felt that it 
was a hard case for both parties ; and was therefore determined 
to persevere on my course, as long as safety and prudence 
would authorize my doing so. 

March 14£A. — The leak had now increased to 260 strokes an 
hour : all my passengers were very much alarmed, and the 
clerical gentlemen implored me to run for the first port, and of- 
fered me freely all the passage money they had paid, and were 
willing to sign a contract to that effect. The merchants and 
shop-keepers were more obstinate, and refused to give up any 
portion of the passage money ; consequently, I told them I 
should pursue my course for the Havana, until it was the unani- 
mous desire of all the passengers to return into port ; that I 
would not claim all their passage money, but thought it but 
just and fair for me to retain one half of it ; having expended 
ajjout that amount for their provisions and stores ; and if they 
thought proper to agree to this arrangement, I would steer for 
the first port. They all soon came into the measure. The wind 
had been light from the 1ST. E. for the last two days, and the 
current had swept us to the westward, so that on the 18th, four 
days after leaving port, we made the highlands about ten leagues 
to the northward of Vera Cruz. "We now had fresh breezes 
from the northward, and fine weather. At noon, this day, 
passed near the castle of San Juan de Ulloa, and attempted to 
gain the anchorage at the islands of Sacrificios, but could not 
fetch in. We then bore up for Alvarado. 

The next day, March 16th, by turning and shifting the sand 
ballast, we found the principal leak was in the skarf of the keel. 
It proceeded through the opening of the skarf with great force 
and violence ; and although we saw this frightful leak, we were 
not able to stop it. It appeared evident that the skarf must 
have been started when the brig was thumping on the sand- 
bank, during the severe weather of the 11th and 12th of Feb- 
ruary, and that the aperture had filled up with sand, which did 
not wash out until after we left Alvarado and got into clear 
ocean water. 

On the 17th, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, we took a pi- 



406 VOYAGE IN THE BFJG NYMPH. 

lot off Alvarado bar, the wind being then from the northward', 
with clear, pleasant weather; we soon ran into port, and at 
three in the afternoon came to anchor, after a week's absence. 
I now landed all my passengers, retaining the one-half of their 
passage money, and had no difficulty with them, as they were 
reasonable men, and were convinced that it was no fault ot 
mine, but pure misfortune. I returned the goods on freight to 
the owners, or shippers, without any charges or expense to 
either party. I then noted a protest, and the next day Mr. S. 
Malsan, acting American consul and commercial agent at this 
port, appointed a survey of three experienced ship-masters, 
Capt. Henry Russell, James Copeland and Henry Yan Dine, to 
repair on board the brig, examine her situation, and report to 
him. Accordingly, these gentlemen ordered the brig hove 
out ; I, with great difficulty, borrowed blocks from one vessel, 
and falls from another, and the next day managed to heave the 
brig down, so that the survey could examine the keel and bot- 
tom. They made the following report : — 

" We the undersigned, shipmasters of the United States, 
now in Alvarado, named and appointed by S. Malsan, acting 
commercial agent for the United States, at the port of Alvarado, 
to survey the brig Nym/ph^ of New York, Coggeshall, master, 
lately returned to this port in a leaky condition, 

" Report as follows : — That we have this day repaired on 
board said brig, and after a thorough and careful examination, 
found the skarf of the keel started, and otherwise much injured, 
the water forcing through in great quantities, and that it is im- 
practicable -to fasten and secure the same from the inside. We 
are therefore unanimously of opinion, that to make her sea- 
worthy it will be absolutely necessary that the said brig should 
be hove keel out, the keel rebolted and properly secured, the 
remainder of the sheathing taken off, the bottom calked and 
resheathed. It is also our opinion that the expense of the before- 
mentioned repairs at this place, would far exceed the value of the 
vessel, it being doubtful, at the same time, whether it would be 
possible to accomplish the necessary repairs to make the JSfyonph 
seaworthy, with the means and facilities that this place offers. 
We recommend Capt. Coggeshall, therefore to dismantle said 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 407 

brig Nymph, and dispose of the materials, viz. : spars, sails, ca- 
bles, anchors, boats, hull, in short, all the tackle and apparel in 
detail, to the best advantage for whomsoever it may concern. 
" "Witness our hands, in Alvarado, March 19th, 1824. 

HENRY RUSSELL, of Brig Merced. 

JAMES COPELAND, Schooner Dolphin. 

HENRY YAN DINE, Schooner Fly." 

We found the main keel of the Nymph in a very bad situa- 
tion, the false one almost entirely knocked off, and the main, 
amidships, broomed badly for ten or twelve feet, the skarf 
opened, and violently wrenched. All this damage, no doubt, 
occurred while she lay thumping on the sand-bank with a heavy 
cargo on board, on the 11th and 12th of February. Agreeably 
to the advice of the consul, and the official survey, I proceeded 
forthwith to dismantle the brig, and through Messrs. Bools and 
Treat, auctioneers, sold the hull, and also her materials in detail ; 
paid off the officers and seamen according to law, and soon set- 
tled all my business at Alvarado. 

About this period, Mr. Andrews, agent for the United States 
Bank, arrived from the city of Mexico, and related the following 
story. Messrs. Andrews and Crawford, of Philadelphia, were 
appointed agents for the United States Bank, to proceed to the 
city of Mexico, and there transact some important business for 
that institution. After having accomplished their mission, the 
Government furnished them with a military escort, to protect 
them on the road from the capital of Mexico to Alvarado. In 
company with these gentlemen, was the captain of a British 
man-of-war, then lying at anchor at Yera Cruz, whose name I 
do not recollect. The English captain and Mr. Andrews rode 
in a carriage, driven by a postillion, and Mr. Crawford on horse- 
back alongside of the carriage. After getting down to Perote, 
the captain of the guard assured them that the danger was over, 
and there left them to perform the remainder of the journey 
without one. Soon after leaving Perote, while travelling on the 
road, they were attacked by ten or twelve well-armed men in 
masks, mounted on fine horses. Their first act of violence was 
shooting Mr. Crawford through the body; this unfortunate gen- 



408 VOYAGE IN THE BKIG NYMPH. 

tleman fell to the ground, bleeding profusely. They then or- 
dered the captain and Mr. Andrews to leave the carriage, and 
lie flat on their faces on the ground, while they rifled the vehi- 
cle of all they could find. After having robbed them of their 
watches and all their money, the robbers were about to let 
them go, but at this moment the mail carrier from Yera Cruz 
came in sight; he was mounted on horseback, and did not dis- 
cover the robbers until very near the carriage, which several of 
them were overhauling ; on rising a little hill he discovered his 
danger, but too late to make his escape ; he however spurred 
his horse, and endeavored to pass them. In an instant several 
of them went in pursuit ; the fleet horses of the robbers soon 
overtook him, when they shot the unfortunate man, and left 
him dead on the road. Mr. A. told me that while the captain 
and himself were lying on the ground, the robbers pricked their 
sides with the points of their swords, and threatened to dispatch 
them, accusing them of having concealed a portion of their 
money. Mr. A. said one of their gang (he thought it was the 
captain) appeared to intercede for them, and told his men not 
to kill them, that they had taken all they had, and that it was 
useless to murder them. After the robbers were satisfied that 
they could find no more booty, they rode off and left them. 

Mr. A. concluded, from the manner they rode and managed 
their arms and horses, that the whole gang were military men. 
As soon as the robbers were fairly out of sight, they lifted the 
poor, wounded gentleman, who was bleeding and suffering from 
the effect of his wound, into the carriage, and returned slowly 
back to Perote. On the road, about a mile from where Mr. 
Crawford was shot, they saw the mail-carrier lying dead. Mr. 
Crawford lived but a few hours after they returned to Perote. 

Alvarado was formerly a poor little fishing village, and was 
brought into notice from the circumstance of the castle of San 
Juan de Vlloa's being in the possession of Spain, so that no 
commerce or trade could be carried on with Vera Cruz except 
by land, from Alvarado. Consequently, as soon as the castle 
of San Juan de JJlloa fell into the hands of the Mexicans, Al- 
varado naturally fell back into its former insignificance. 

About the 27th of March, I got a copy of all my protests 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 409 

and surveys from the American consul, and now only waited 
an opportunity to return home to the United States. As there 
was no vessel bound direct to the port of New York, I decided 
to return to Philadelphia in the pilot-boat schooner Mexican, 
with Captain Dawson. There were six cabin passengers : Mr. 
Andrews, R. Willing, Esq., a young Englishman by the name 
of Sagg, myself, and one or two other gentlemen. The price of 
passage was $100, which we paid in advance. 

"While waiting for Captain Dawson to get ready for sea, we 
had much leisure to stroll about the town and the sand-hills in 
its vicinity, and to observe the peculiarities of this, in many re- 
spects, singular place. Alvarado is badly supplied with fresh 
water : that in the river and harbor is salt and brackish, but by 
digging a few feet deep in the sand six or eight feet from the 
river, and inserting a barrel with holes bored in the bottom, 
fresh water is easily obtained, and in this way the shipping is 
abundantly supplied. "We sailed from Alvarado about the 
middle of April. "We encountered contrary winds in getting 
out of the Gulf of Mexico, and made a long and tedious voyage. 
The cabin passengers were intelligent and agreeable men. "We 
did not reach Philadelphia until the 18th of May, which made 
our passage about thirty-three days from Alvarado. I remained 
but two days in Philadelphia, and then came on to New York, 
where I found my mother, sister, and all the rest of my friends 
well. 

The underwriters paid our claim for the brig and freight in 
an off-hand, honorable manner, and although I had much trouble 
and anxiety on the voyage, still, it turned out a very profitable 
one. I was absent a few days over eight months, with a small 
capital of about $10,000, and cleared on the voyage just $8,000 
for my friend Lawrence and myself. We settled every thing to 
( >ur mutual satisfaction.* 

It will be recollected that while lying in St. Thomas, on the 
10th of January, 1824, 1 discharged Capt. Coggeshall, at his own 
request. From that port he returned home to Milford, where 
he soon sickened and died, leaving a wife and one son. On my 
return to New York, on being made acquainted with the early 

* And thus ends this troublesome though lucrative voyage in the brig Nymph. 



410 VOYAGE IN THE BRIG NYMPH. 

and unexpected death of my young friend and cousin, I wrote, 
as applicable to him, the following : 

EPITAPH: 

Here in this lonely, humble bed, 

Where myrtle and wild roses grow, 
A son of Neptune rests his head, 

For, reader, 'tis his watch below. 

Long hath he done his duty well, 
And weathered many a stormy blast ; 

But now, where gentler breezes swell, 
He's safely moored in peace at last. 

Tread lightly, sailors, o'er his grave, 

His virtues claim a kindred tear ; 
And yet why mourn a brother brave, 

Who rests from all his labors here ? 

Though here below his body lies, 

To mingle with the dust, 
His soul has flown to brighter skies 

To dwell among the just. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON, DAVID HEPBURN MASTER, 
FROM NEW YORK TO CHILI, PERU AND COLOMBIA, ON THE WESTERN 
COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA, THENCE TO GIBRALTAR AND BACK 
TO NEW YORK, IN THE YEARS 1825, 1826 AND 1827. MYSELF SUPER- 
CARGO. 

About the 20th of March, 1825, I agreed with Messrs. K. L. & 
G. Griswold, merchants in New York, to perform a trading voy- 
age from that city to the western coast of Chili, Peru and Co- 
lombia, in their ship " Governor Clinton." This was a good, 
fast-sailing ship, about two years old, and burden three hundred 
and eighty-three tons, well fitted and found in every respect. 
We had a valuable assorted cargo of flour, provisions, white 
beeswax, chairs, soap, American cotton goods, such as shirtings, 
sheetings, etc., besides German, English and Russian goods. In 
fine, it would be useless and tedious to enumerate one-tenth 
part of this extensive cargo of every kind of merchandise. For 
we had, as the saying is, " every thing, from a German flute to 
a penny whistle." 

The invoice of Messrs. 1ST. L. & G. Griswold alone, amounted 
to the gross sum of $51,320. Benj. L. Swan, Esq., also shipped 
on board of this ship, by an arrangement with his friends the 
owners, an invoice of American, English and German goods to 
the amount of $36,203, and consigned the same to me. Besides 
the above invoice, there were sundry other goods sent by differ- 
ent persons on half profits, such as chain-cables, saddles, etc., 
etc., so that the whole cargo amounted to nearly one hundred 
thousand dollars, all of which was consigned to my manage- 
ment. 



412 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

Knowing from experience the great length of time necessary 
to retail such a cargo on the western coast of South America, I 
proposed to the owners to employ a captain to act under my di- 
rections, and also a young man as assistant supercargo and clerk. 
I told them that this arrangement would eventuate to their in- 
terest : that I should never be able to fulfill all the duties of a 
captain and supercargo. They readily complied with my sug- 
gestions, and allowed me to appoint the two gentlemen in ques- 
tion. I accordingly chose as captain, David Hepburn, of Mil- 
ford, who had been my cabin-boy on his first voyage at sea, in 
the brig Henry and Isabella, to St. Bartholomew, in the year 
1809. He had also some years after that period commanded 
two vessels in my employment, the ketch Maria, and the schooner 
Catherine, in the "West India trade. I chose for my assistant 

supercargo and clerk, my young friend, Mr. . He had 

been liberally educated, and had been for several years initiated 
in commercial affairs in the counting-house of one of the first 
mercantile firms in the city of New Tork. 

Captain Hepburn took for his mate or first officer Mr. L. B. 
Griswold, with a crew of twelve men and boys, together with a 
cook, steward and carpenter, so that we mustered in number 
about eighteen or twenty souls. 

We commenced loading on the 22d of March, and on the 
13th of April got ready for sea. Here follows the substance 
of Captain Hepburn's orders from the owners of the Governor 
Clinton : 

Captain D. Hepburn, — 

Dear Sir : You will please take charge of the ship Governor 
Clinton as master, and proceed with all possible dispatch to 
Lima ; at that port you will be guided by the instructions and 
advice of Captain George Coggeshall, who goes with you as su- 
percargo. Mr. C. holds our power of attorney to dispose of the 
ship and cargo, in short, to do and act for our interest the same 
as though we were personally present ; we therefore request 
you will comply with his wishes, and should any untoward ac- 
cident befall Captain C, we desire that you will strive to pro- 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 413 

mote our interest to the best of your abilities. "Wishing you a 
prosperous voyage, we remain 

Your obedient servants, 

N. L. & G. GRISWOLD. 

Substance of my agreement with the owners of the G. Clin- 
ton on a trading voyage on the coast of Chili, Peru and Colom- 
bia. The owners agree to allow me two and a half per cent, clear 
commission on the gross sale of the whole outward cargo, also 
two and a half on all purchases, and one per cent, on returns in 
specie, with the further privilege of ten tons of merchandise free 
of freight during the entire voyage, with one quarter part of the 
net passage money. 

After my agreement was completed and all the preliminaries 
settled relative to the voyage, the owners handed me a letter to 
Captain Hatch, who commanded their brig Brazilian, which 
vessel was then at Lima or trading on some part of the coast of 
Peru. I herewith insert a copy of that letter. 

New York, 14th April, 1825. 
Captain A. Hatch, — 

Dear Sir : This will be handed you by Captain George 
Coggeshall, who is on the eve of sailing in our ship Governor 
Clinton, direct for Lima. You will give Captain C. all the in- 
formation in your power, that will promote the object of his 
voyage, and consult with him relative to the business of the 
Brazilian. 

Captain C. is an experienced shipmaster, and his advice will 
be useful to you. "We have requested him, if he thinks best, to 
put such part of his cargo on board of the Brazilian, as is suita- 
ble for other markets on the coast, and to let Mr. — go 

with you, to assist in disposing of them, together with such re- 
maining part of your cargo as is adapted to such ports. You 
will please co-operate with Captain Coggeshall in such arrange- 
ments as he may deem proper. 

We are your obedient servants, 

NATHANIEL L. & G. GPJSWOLD. 



414 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

And now being assured that I had the entire confidence of 
my enterprising employers, and satisfied they had allowed me a 
liberal compensation for my anticipated services, I felt that they 
were entitled to my utmost exertions and untiring industry to 
promote their interest in every honorable way in my power. 
Under these circumstances I embarked with a good heart and a 
willing mind, and on Friday, April the 15th, 1825, at ten 
o'clock in the morning, we left E~ew York with a light air from 
the !N". E., and at noon the same day came to anchor at the 
quarantine ground, Staten Island, where we lay all night, the 
wind being light from the eastward. The next morning at 
eight, we made sail with a light, variable wind and ebb tide, 
and stood down the bay. At three o'clock in the afternoon we 
got fairly outside of Sandy Hook, when a breeze sprung up 
from the southward. "We discharged the pilot, and proceeded 
on our course to the eastward. 

There is so much sameness and monotony at sea, that I shall 
pass over much of the dull routine comprising the record of 
winds and weather, and only note the most prominent incidents 
that occurred during this passage (except off Cape Horn, where 
I shall insert detailed particulars from day to day.) The first 
day out we had a smooth sea and a favorable breeze from the 
southwest, and ran off at the rate of eight and nine knots the 
hour. The next day being Sunday, all hands had a day of 
rest. I have always made it a standing rule never to keep the 
officers and crew at work on Sunday, except in cases of absolute 
necessity. 

On the 20th of April, four days after leaving Sandy Hook, 
the wind shifted to the S. E., and blew a strong gale from that 
quarter attended with rain, and a high sea, which made it ne- 
cessary to double-reef the topsails. As the motion of the ship 

caused my young friend Mr. to feel sea-sick, the following 

dialogue took place between us. 

" Well, Mr. C, this is a miserable life ; what fools men are 
to let pride and ambition drive them to sea, and thus suffer and 
endure sickness and every kind of discomfort. It is far better 
to live on shore in the most humble manner, even in a log-cabin 
on the wild prairies of the western States, than lead such a 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 415 

miserable dog's life as this. I only wish I was once more on 
shore, and nothing should ever tempt me to leave the land 
again." 

" My young friend," said I, " your feelings on the subject are 
perfectly natural ; I have heard the same resolves a thousand 
times from the uninitiated in the mysteries of a sea life. Just 
wait until you have seen foreign lands, and felt the excitement 
which the dangers and vicissitudes of such a life are sure to 
produce, and then after having made a good voyage and got 
safe back, only think how delightful it is to meet one's friends, 
and find every body glad to see you, and greet you with a 
hearty welcome. Depend upon it, sir, you will not willingly 
remain two months on shore, before you will sigh for another 
voyage." 

The Governor Clinton was a good sea-boat and a fast-sailing 
ship, and when the winds were favorable, we made great pro- 
gress on our voyage. Although deeply laden, we frequently 
made two hundred miles and over in twenty four hours. Be- 
fore leaving New York, I had purchased a new chronometer, 
and as we were bound on a long voyage, I j udged it prudent to 
make one of the Cape de Verde Islands, and test the correct- 
ness of the instrument, and therefore requested Captain Hep- 
burn to make the Island of St. Anthony, which lies nearly in 
the direct track out, and about in the usual longitude of crossing 
the equator. Accordingly on the 12th of May we steered south 
for the aforesaid island, and made it at six a. m., daylight, bear- 
ing S. by "W. seven leagues distant. 

Brisk breezes at N. E. and fine weather, latitude by obser- 
vation at noon 17° 14' K 

"When the body of the island bore south, I got several sights 
of the chronometer, and found the mean result to be 25° 17' W. 
longitude. The longitude of the same part of the island is laid 
down in my nautical books in 25° 19' W., differing but two 
miles, consequently I found the chronometer correct. St. An- 
thony is a high, barren, rocky-looking island, and I should think 
not of much value for the purposes of cultivation. 

We were now twenty-seven days from New York, and as 
we had got into fine weather, I found abundant leisure to 



416 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON". 

read, and brush up what knowledge I had of the Spanish 
language. 

Temperature by Fahrenheit's thermometer this day was 80° 
at noon in the shade. We had light trade winds at N". E. for 
several days while steering down south towards the line, and 
met with nothing worthy of remark until we got near the equa- 
tor, where the weather is always hot and disagreeable. The sun 
is generally hidden by clouds and mist during the morning, but 
usually shines out at meridian. Being vertical, the heat and 
vapor are extremely unpleasant. Frequently through the night 
there is much rain, and though at times the clouds look fright- 
fully black, and the squalls wild and threatening, still they are, 
generally speaking, harmless, and end with abundance of rain, 
with but little or no wind. 

I can easily conceive that a stranger on visiting these regions, 
should be at times very much alarmed with the threatening as- 
pect of the sky and the general appearance of the weather, when 
in reality there is no danger. 

It is in these latitudes that we generally fill up our water 
casks, and the sailors always profit by washing all their clothing. 

Wo are usually obliged to fan through these low latitudes, 
say from two or three degrees north of the equator to one degree 
south of it, and it is not uncommon to lose several days here 
amidst calm and baffling weather. I have found, by many 
years experience, that the best longitude for crossing the line is 
in about 26° to 27° W. Some navigators prefer crossing further 
to the eastward, say in 23° W., but I think there is more fear 
of meeting calm weather in 23° than further to the westward ; 
namely, from 26° to 27°. Baltimore vessels, which are gener- 
ally fast-sailing clippers, cross still further to leeward, some as 
far as twenty-eight or twenty -nine degrees, and find the winds 
fresher and more favorable ; still this would be a dangerous 
experiment for very heavy sailing ships to attempt for fear of 
falling to leeward, and being swept so far to the westward as 
not to be able to weather Cape St. Roque. 

On Saturday, May 28th, we crossed the equator in the lon- 
gitude of 26° 16' W. The thermometer this day, and for several 
consecutive days, was from 82° to 85° Fahrenheit, in the shade. 



VOYAGE IN THE SEtfP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 417 

Latitude at noon, 0° 52' south. And thus our passage from 
New York to the line has been forty-one days, which is rather 
long for a fast-sailing ship. We have, however, for the last 
ten or twelve days, been sadly impeded by light and baffling 
winds. 

Sunday, May 29th. — "We are fortunate in falling in with the 
S. E. trade winds so near the line, and have now fine, pleasant 
weather, which is very agreeable after having been for several 
days under a vertical sun, and soaking showers of rain. We 
have made one hundred and fifty-four miles distance per log, the 
last twenty-four hours, notwithstanding the ship has been close- 
hauled upon the wind. This is another welcome day of rest ; I 
read one of Bossuet's Sermons, Locke and Bacon's Essays, and 
felt at peace with all the world. Latitude, by observation, 3° 
5' S. Longitude at noon, 28° 12' W. Thermometer 83° in the 
cabin. 

Thursday, June 2d. — During the last three days, we have 
had fresh and steady breezes from the S. E., and clear, pleasant 
weather, and have made, by the log, one hundred and sixty- 
eight miles per day, with the yards braced up. We are now 
sailing through those pleasant regions (mentioned on a former 
voyage in the Sea-Serpent), where the weather is generally fine, 
the air pure, and the skies bright and clear. Our captain is a 
good seaman, very watchful and attentive to the duties of the 
ship, and has tact enough to make the crew contented and 
happy. As we have a drummer and a fifer, besides a man who 
plays the violin tolerably well, we have music on board almost 
every evening when the weather is fine, to keep up the spirits 
of the men; and I am pleased to add that every body appears 
contented. There is of course some occasional remark or evil 
foreboding on the subject of doubling Cape Horn ; but this re- 
flection soon subsides by the consoling fact that we have a good 
ship under foot, and that she is ably commanded, with as good 
a crew as ever floated on salt water, in proportion to their num- 
ber. We found ourselves this day in latitude 10° 51' south ; 
longitude 33° 44' west. 

From the 2d to the 9th of June, we had generally light 
winds and pleasant weather, and made but slow progress on our 
27 



418 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

course. We have kept a little too far to the westward, and too 
near the Brazil coast, consequently have found the S. E. trades 
very light. I would, therefore, advise all young and inexperi- 
enced navigators bound round Cape Horn, to give the coast of 
Brazil a good berth, and thus avoid light trades and baffling 
winds. I have found from experience that by keeping further 
to the eastward on this coast the trade winds are much stronger. 

Saturday, June 11th. — This day, the weather being fine we 
took several observations of the sun's and moon's distances 
to ascertain our longitude ; and after taking the mean of the 
whole, found the longitude to be 35° 52' west of Greenwich, 
which differs but a few miles from the chronometer ; we there- 
fore conclude they are both correct. Latitude at noon, 20° 19' 
south. 

Thursday, June 16th.' — Winds light, from S. E. to 1ST. E., 
with clear, pleasant weather. At one p. m. spoke the brig 
"Syren," four days from Bio de Janeiro, bound to Boston. 
Several whales playing round the ship. Variation of the com- 
pass, per amplitude, 2° 32' east. Latitude by observation, 28° 
56' north ; longitude 38° 48' west. 

Monday, June 20th. — Moderate breezes from the S. E. and 
fine weather. This day, set up the lower shrouds, bent a new 
main-topsail, and other storm sails, sent down royal masts and 
yards, rove new braces, and are making every preparation for 
bad weather as we draw up into higher latitudes, and approach 
Cape Horn. 

June 25th. — Latitude 43° south ; longitude 50° west. The 
thermometer in the cabin stood at 52°. The days are getting 
shorter, and the sky daily wears a more wintry aspect, as we 
increase our latitude. The " Magellan Clouds" are now about 
45° above the horizon, and are nightly seen when the sky is 
clear. 

In these high southern latitudes, besides the " Southern 
Cross" there are many constellations and single bright stars 
seen, that are not visible to the inhabitants of the Northern 
Hemisphere, and are therefore a fruitful theme of contemplation 
for those who visit these distant regions of the globe. From 
the 26th of June to the end of the month, we generally had 



VOYAGE ES" THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 419 

head winds, and squally, disagreeable weather; consequently 
we made but slow progress on our voyage. 

July 6th. — At 7 o'clock this evening, by an observation of 
the moon and the star Antares, found we were in longitude 53° 
15', 30", west longitude per chronometer, 53° 18' 0". Latitude 
46° 0' south, variation of the compass per amplitude, 23° 26' 
easterly. 

Friday, July 8th. — During the whole of these twenty-four 
hours, we had fresh breezes from west to northwest, and clear, 
pleasant weather. At eight a. m. made the land, namely, the 
island of Terra del Fuego, near the Straits of Le Maire, bearing 
from south to west about fifteen leagues distant. Latitude by 
observation at noon, 54° 3' south ; distance run by the log, one 
hundred and fifty-eight miles. At eleven .o'clock a. m. the lon- 
gitude per chronometer was 64° 54' west. 

At this time Cape Diego, at the entrance of the Straits of 
Le Maire, bore S. "VV. This cape is laid down by Bowditch in 
latitude 54° 37' south ; longitude 65° 5' west, which differs little 
or nothing from my chronometer. 

Saturday, July 9th. — Up to this period, we have been 
favored with a fair share of good weather ; but, as it is now in 
the dead of winter in this dreary region, I look for nothing but 
stormy weather, and constant changes from bad to worse. 

I believe I have remarked, in my narrative on a former voy- 
age, that the severe weather and mountainous seas off Cape 
Horn and its vicinity, are, in reality, bad enough to encounter ; 
but the passage round this cape is rendered tenfold more 
gloomy from its remote position ; for should any serious acci- 
dent occur, such as losing a rudder, there is no resource. For 
many hundred miles along this coast, there is no vegetation ex- 
cept a few stunted trees, and a little moss and sorrel growing 
among the clefts of these dark gray and black rocks, piled one 
upon another, to the height of several hundred feet ; and no 
inhabitants, save a thin, scattered population of miserable, sav- 
age Indians, but one grade above the brute creation, and no 
friendly port to obtain relief, short of Monte Yideo, which is 
more than 1300 miles distant. 

This reminds me of the melancholy loss of a Spanish seventy- 



420 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

four gun-ship, with every soul on board — captain, officers, crew 
and passengers — amounting, in number, to between 700 and 
800 men, women and children. This ship sailed from Cadiz, in 
company with a frigate bound to Lima, some eight or ten years 
before Peru shook off the Spanish yoke and became an inde- 
pendent State. These ships met with no serious accident until 
they arrived off Cape Horn, where, in a violent tempest, while 
lying to, the seventy-four lost her rudder. She hoisted a signal of 
distress, but the sea was so high, and the weather so bad, that 
the frigate was afraid to approach her consort. Shortly after, the 
weather became thick, when they separated, lost sight of each 
other, and never again met. The frigate, a few weeks after, ar- 
rived in safety at Lima, but the seventy-four was never after- 
wards heard from, except a mere vestige of her — -just enough to 
establish the fact of the sad catastrophe of this ill-fated ship. 
Soon after the New South Shetland Islands off Cape Horn were 
discovered, a gang of American sealers on one of these islands 
report having seen the rudder of a large ship, which they sup- 
posed to have belonged to a seventy-four, lying on the shore of 
one of these desolate islands. 

After this digression, I will resume my narrative. 

July 10£A. — Commenced with fresh gales from the west- 
ward, directly ahead, with a high head sea running. During 
the night we had strong gales from west to southwest, attended 
with violent squalls of snow and hail. 

At eight o'clock a. m. got down the main-topgallant yard, 
rigged in the jib-boom, close-reefed the topsails and course, 
and stood off shore to the southward. We have now met with 
Cape Horn weather, in good earnest. No observation ; the sun 
obscured. Latitude by dead-reckoning, 56° 18' south. Dis- 
tance made, by the log, seventy miles. Longitude by calcula- 
tion, 62° 31' west. Thermometer at noon, 3i° above zero. 

Monday, July 1 lth. — These twenty-four hours, like the last, 
commenced with strong gales from the west and southwest, 
with violent squalls of snow and hail. At four p. m. the wind 
blew so violently that we were obliged to take in all sail, ex- 
cept a close-reefed main-topsail, and the main and mizzen stay- 
sails. At eight in the morning, the gale was so violent, that we 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 421 

took in the main staysail, and laid the ship's head offshore to the 
southward. The gale continued to rage with great fury from 
the westward, with a very high sea running directly ahead, 
through the night. At half-past eleven a. m. the sun shone out, 
and by a sight at the chronometer, we found the longitude to be 
61° 52' 30" west. Latitude by observation at noon, 55° 46' 
south. Thermometer, at noon, in the cabin, stood at 31° above 
zero. 

July 12th. — These twenty-four hours are only a repetition 
of the last — a continuation of strong gales from the westward, 
with a high sea running. At four p. m. wore ship to the 
northward, and lay to, all these twenty-four hours, under a 
close-reefed main-topsail, and main and mizzen staysail. We 
lost about thirty-one miles drift to the eastward, which is about 
one degree of longitude. We are now in latitude 56° 8' south ; 
longitude per chronometer, 61° 30' west ; thermometer same as 
yesterday. 

Wednesday, July 13th. — These twenty-four hours commen- 
ced with strong gales from the southward. At midnight, we 
set close-reefed topsails, reefed courses and storm staysails. At 
one hour after midnight, wore ship to the southward. The 
wind has again veered to the westward, and increased to a vio- 
lent tempest. At four p. u. took in all sail, except a close-reefed 
main-topsail, and hove to. We have now very cold weather 
and much snow, with a high sea running from the westward. 
At eight a. m. the gale moderated a little, when we set a close- 
reefed topsail and a reefed foresail. Latitude by observation 
at noon, 56° 3' south; longitude, by chronometer, 60° 38' west. 
Thermometer down to 27° in the cabin. We have now much 
ice and snow about the rigging and decks. 

July 14:th. — These twenty-four hours commenced with mode- 
rate gales from the S. S. E. At meridian we made sail, set 
close-reefed topsails, and reefed courses. Strong gales and a 
high sea, with heavy squalls of snow and sleet throughout the 
night. At nine a. m. the wind moderated, and the sky cleared 
up a little, when we saw a ship, bearing about south, two or 
three miles distant, lying to, under a fore and mizzen staysail, 
with the most of her sails blown to pieces. Her topsails and 



422 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

courses were hanging to the yards, half-furled, and napping in 
tatters and ribbons in the wind. "We set our colors, when she, 
being to windward, set a French ensign, bore up, ran down 
near ns, and hove to again. We were under close-reefed top- 
sails and reefed courses, and had every thing snug and comfort- 
able. "We gazed at each other for a few seconds, when I re- 
quested Captain Hepburn to inquire of the captain of the French 
ship whether he was in distress or wanted any thing, and wheth- 
er we could render him any assistance. When in the act of 
asking him these questions, he hailed to know whether we were 
in want of any thing, and whether he could be of any service to 
us. We, of course, thanked him, and told him we wanted 
nothing. She appeared like a French sloop-of-war, mounted 
twenty-two guns, and had a great number of men on board ; 
still she lay looking like the picture of distress, with nearly all 
her sails blown to ribbons, and every thing hanging about in 
a careless, slovenly manner, worse than any merchant ship 
I ever saw with less than one-tenth her number of men ; and 
what most surprised us, was the careless inactivity displayed 
on board. No move was made to repair damages, and every 
thing appeared to be left to the mercy of the winds. Finding 
we wanted nothing of each other, we wore ship and stood on 
opposite tacks, when we soon lost sight of this mysterious ship. 
No observation — the sun obscured. Latitude by account, 55° 
44' south. Distance per log, eighty-one miles. Longitude, per 
chronometer, 62° 32' west. 

Friday, July 15th. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with moderate breezes from the S. W. At six a. m. wore ship 
to the S. S. E. At seven a. m. the wind hauled to the 1ST. W., 
and blew a fresh gale from that quarter, attended with squalls 
of snow, and a high sea running from the westward. At nine 
a. m. the wind moderated a little, when we again made sail, 
set double-reefed topsails, and a reefed foresail. At meridian, 
the wind and weather moderated, and the sea became somewhat 
smoother. Lat. by account, 55° 40' S. Distance per log, one 
hundred miles. Long, about 65° W. Thermometer in the 
cabin, 38° above zero. 

I am fully aware that the record of making and taking in 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOK CLINTON. 423 

sail, and giving a daily account of the winds and weather in 
the log-book style, must often be extremely tedious and unin- 
teresting to those unacquainted with the sea, but to seafaring 
men, it is quite the reverse ; for to them it is often a source of 
amusement, and sometimes beneficial to read in detail the ex- 
perience of their seafaring brethren. It enables them to com- 
pare and contrast the different tracks taken by ships on long 
voyages, and it is for them that I have given the particulars of 
our passage off and around Cape Horn. 

It will therefore be easy for those who feel no interest in 
storms, gales, or ships' courses on the ocean, or such as have no 
disposition to trace on a map the track of the ship, to turn over 
the leaves of this part of my narrative without reading them. 
I have therefore concluded to give an exact copy of my journal, 
as it occurred from day to day, and although it may possess but 
little interest, it will, at least, show a spirit of determined perse- 
verance to surmount every obstacle. 

Saturday, July 16th. — During the whole of these twenty- 
four hours we experienced a continuation of strong westerly 
gales with a high head sea running against us, still plying to 
windward, under close-reefed top-sails and a reefed foresail. In 
this dismal region, now in the dead of winter, we have long, 
dreary nights, and short days, the sun appearing for a few 
hours, making, as it were, but a small circle to the north of us, 
and then sinking into deep banks of dark clouds. 

Lat. by obs. 56° 55' S. Long, per chronometer 65° V 30" 
"W. ; distance run per log, ninety miles. The variation of 
the compass at sunsetting, was 22° 57 7 E. Found a strong 
current setting to the eastward, all these twenty-four hours, 
so that we gained little or nothing. In fine, it is very diffi- 
cult to hold our own against these strong gales and lee cur- 
rents. 

Sunday, July 17th. — These twenty-four hours, like the last, 
commenced with strong gales from the westward, and a high 
sea running. At four p. m. the gale was so violent that we took 
in all sail except a close-reefed main-topsail, and a storm main- 
staysail. At midnight, it suddenly became calm, when the 
ship rolled and tumbled about for several hours in the trough 



424 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

of the sea, with not wind enough to keep her steady. At six 
a. m. a light breeze sprung up from the eastward, when we 
sent up the main-topgallant yard, and set the sail with a fore- 
topmast studding-sail, to steady the ship. Saw a sail bearing 
E. S. E., some eight or ten miles distant. E"o observation ; the 
sun obscured. Lat. by dead reckoning 57° 10' S., long, about 
65° 8' W. 

Monday, July 18th. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with light airs from the eastward, but owing to a high sea still 
running from the westward, we made but little progress on our 
course. At twelve, midnight, a strong breeze sprung up from 
the S. W., attended with heavy squalls of snow and hail. Close- 
reefed the topsails, and handed the main and foresails. At sev- 
en a. m., the gale moderated a little, and at eight a. m. daylight, 
saw the land about Cape Horn, bearing by the compass 1ST. W. 
half W., distant about eight leagues. The land being at this 
time covered with snow, gave it a very dreary appearance. 
We soon saw the high, snowy mountains in the interior of 
Terra del Euego, bearing about !N". E. some sixty or seventy 
miles. We also saw several small islands near Cape Deceit. 
At noon, the weather being clear and line, we had an uncom- 
monly good view of Cape Horn, and the land in its vicinity. It 
was about seven or eight leagues to the northward of us. I may 
say we were directly oif the pitch of the Cape, beating to wind- 
ward day after day, to weather this conspicuous landmark, 
placed, as it were, in the midst of storms and tempests. Lati- 
tude, by a good observation at noon, 56° 21' south ; longitude, 
by chronometer, 67° 40' 30" west. The longitude of the Cape, 
as laid down by Bowditch, is 67° 21' 0" W. Making a just 
allowance for the bearing and distance of the Cape, I find the 
chronometer diners but a mere trifle from the longitude laid 
down in the nautical books referred to. 

Tuesday, July 19th. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with fresh gales from the W. and W. N. W., with squally, 
snowy weather. The land about Cape Horn still in sight. At 
two p. m. saw a ship bearing about S. E., standing upon the 
wind, to the northward. We continued to have strong gales 
from the westward, with frequent and heavy snow squalls 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 425 

throughout all these twenty-four hours. Still beating against 
the westerly gales, tacking and wearing every four or six hours. 
At meridian, saw the land about Cape Horn, bearing K. W. 
by compass, ten or twelve leagues distant. Lat. by obs. 56° 31' 
S. Long, the same as yesterday, 67° 21' "W". 

Wednesday, July 20th. — These twenty-four hours, like the 
last, commenced with fresh gales from the westward, with a 
high sea running, attended with squalls of snow and hail. At 
midnight it blew so violently, that we could only carry a close- 
reefed main-topsail, and a reefed foresail, with now and then 
the storm, main and mizzen staysails. At noon this day, the 
thermometer fell down to 28° in the cabin, and the water that 
came on deck instantly froze. The decks and rigging were cov- 
ered with ice and snow, so that it was difficult to work the ship, 
and almost impossible to gain any thing by beating to wind- 
ward, against these violent storms and tempests. Lat. by obs. 
56° 44' S. Long, about the same as yesterday, say 67° 20' "W". 

Thursday, July 2\st. — These twenty-four hours, like the last, 
commenced with a violent gale from the westward, with squally 
weather. Still plying to windward under close reefed main- 
topsail and reefed foresail. At midnight, wore ship to the S. S. 
E. — the gale a little more moderate ; set close-reefed topsails 
and reefed courses. At four p. m. wore ship to the northward 
and westward. The wind now hauled to the S. S. W., with 
much snow, and dark, gloomy weather. At eight a. m., soon 
after daylight saw Cape Horn again, bearing JST. by W. by com- 
pass, distant six or seven leagues. At the same time, Barne- 
velts Island, near Cape Horn, bore N. by E. by compass, dis- 
tant nine or ten leagues. At this time the weather became 
clear, which gave us another good view of Cape Horn, St. 
Francis' Bay, and the adjacent land. Cape Horn is the extreme 
southern point of Hermite's Island. It is a high hill, or small 
mountain, and is, at this time, covered with snow. The land 
immediately adjoining the Cape to the northward being low, 
makes it appear, at a distance, like a detached headland, or a 
separate island. The mouth of St. Francis' Bay seemed to be 
about five or six leagues wide, and 1 should judge very easy of 
access ; I conclude, if compelled by necessity to seek a port for 



426 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

shelter, that many good harbors may be found in the Bay of 
St. Francis, and to the northward and eastward of Cape Horn, 
in what is called, on the charts, Nassau Bay. I also observed, 
that when we approached near the land, the wind and weather 
became more mild and moderate, and the sea much smoother. 
During these twenty-four hours we have had little or no current, 
notwithstanding the gales have been so violent from the west- 
ward ; still it is very difficult to make much progress under 
close-reefed sails, with a high head sea always running against 
us. At seven a. m. wore shij:), and stood off shore to the south- 
ward ; wind more moderate. 

At llh. 0' 19" a. m. the longitude per the chronometer was 
67° 35' 0" W. At this time Cape Horn bore 1ST. by E. true 
course, distant thirty-eight miles, which makes the chronometer 
differ but two miles from the longitude of the Cape, as laid 
down by Bowditch. No observation of the sun at noon, it be- 
ing dark and cloudy. 

JFriday, July 22d. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with brisk breezes at S. W., with dark, cloudy weather. At one 
o'clock p. m. passed near an American ship. We showed our 
ensigns to each other ; she standing on shore to the K. W., and 
we standing off shore to the S. S. E. ; wind about S. W. by W. 
At six o'clock in the evening it blew so violently from the S. "W"., 
and the sea was so high, that we were obliged to take in all sail 
again, except a close-reefed main-topsail and mizzen staysail. 
The weather was now very cold and dreary, with much ice and 
snow about the decks, so that the ship was completely cased 
with ice. Thermometer in the cabin down to 27°. I think 
this gale was more severe than any of the preceding ones. 
These twenty-four hours end with a continuation of the same 
violent tempest from the S. W., with a mountainous sea run- 
ning. Latitude by observation 57° 6' south ; longitude per ac- 
count, say 67° 10' W. 

Our seamen are a fine set of men ; not one of them has 
flinched from his duty since we left New York, although they 
have been so severely tried by heat, cold, tempest and storm. 
Perfect order and good discipline reign throughout the ship, 
every man obeys with alacrity, and they seem to vie with each 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 427 

other to buffet the tempest, and with the most indomitable per- 
severance to weather Cape Horn at all hazards. 

Saturday, July 23d. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with a continuation of the same S. "W. gale which we had yes- 
terday, and it has been decidedly the worst and most disagreea- 
ble one we have encountered since we left New York. Through- 
out the night it blew a perfect hurricane, with violent squalls 
of hail and snow, with a mountainous sea running. We have 
been lying to all these twenty-four hours under a close-reefed 
main-topsail and mizzen staysail. The decks are now loaded 
with ice and snow, and the ropes about the bows of the ship are 
all cased and covered with ice to thrice their usual size. 

At a moderate calculation we have on deck and about the 
sides of the ship, at least fifteen tons of snow and ice. Our 
situation at daylight this morning was very gloomy ; lying to 
off Cape Horn in the depth of winter, the ship covered with ice 
and snow, with constant and violent gales from the westward, 
roaring at times like letting off the steam from a powerful 
engine. 

No observation of the sun. Latitude by D. R. 57° 0' south ; 
longitude by account, about 66° 45' W. Thermometer in the 
cabin at 24° above zero. 

Sunday, July 2±th. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with fresh gales from the south, with a high sea still running 
from the westward, from the effect of the late severe gales from 
that quarter. At one p. m. wore ship to westward, and set 
close-reefed topsails and storm staysails. The weather being a 
little more moderate, we were enabled to proceed on our course 
at the rate of two or three knots the hour. 

At six p. m. strong gales, with squalls of snow and hail, 
handed the fore and mizzen topsails. At six a. m. set close- 
reefed fore and mizzen topsails again. At ten a. m. saw the 
land about Cape Horn, bearing W. by S. per compass, distant 
about six or seven leagues. Wore ship to the S. E., and stood 
off shore, not being able to weather the land about Cape Horn : 
much ice and snow still about the decks and ris-jrine; : the ther- 
mometer in the cabin generally down to 24° above zero. Lati- 
tude by an indifferent observation, 56° 6' south. Longitude 



428 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

per account, about 67° 0' W. The gales are so violent, and al- 
ways so contrary, that it is with the greatest difficulty we are 
able to hold our ground, with the utmost vigilance and unre- 
mitting perseverance. 

Monday, July %oth. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with fresh gales at S. by W., with violent squalls of hail and 
snow, attended with a high sea : now under close-reefed topsails 
and reefed courses. At four p. m. saw Barnevelts Island, near 
Cape Horn, bearing S. W. by compass, about six leagues dis- 
tant, and notwithstanding we now have a southerly wind, are 
not able to profit by it, as we are not far enough to the west- 
ward to weather Cape Horn. We are still doomed to beat to 
windward, under close-reefed sails, and can barely hold our 
own against the stormy tempest and high, prevailing, contrary 
sea, which we are daily struggling against, and hoping for some 
favorable change. We have generally stood off eight hours, 
and on shore six, and with great exertion have thus far nearly 
held our ground against a long continuation of contrary gales, 
adverse currents, and a high, rolling sea. Latitude by obser- 
vation, 55° 51' S. Longitude by account, about 66° 50' west. 

Our seamen all hold out remarkably well. Up to this date 
not one of them has been sick, or disabled in any way from do- 
ing his duty manfully. 

Tuesday, July 26th. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with fresh breezes from the southward, with occasional snow 
squalls. At eight p. m. saw the land about Cape Horn, bearing 
W. S. W., about three or four leagues distant. Wore ship off 
shore to the eastward, not being able to stand any longer on the 
other tack. During the night we wore and tacked ship gener- 
ally every four or six hours, under double-reefed topsails and 
reefed courses. At seven a. m., daylight, Cape Horn bore W. 
S. W., distant about six or seven leagues. At eight a. m. made 
several short tacks to windward, hoping to weather the Cape ; 
but the wind being contrary and baffling, with a strong current 
setting to the N. E., we were not able to do so. Moderate 
breezes from the southward, and dark, cloudy weather. No 
observation of the sun this day. Latitude by D, ~R. 55° 59' S. 
Longitude about 66° 20' W. One of our largest hogs died last 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 429 

night with cold and fatigue, notwithstanding the animal was 
sheltered and covered with a sail along with four others, who 
thus far have survived the cold and bad weather. 

Wednesday, July 27th. — First part of these twenty-four 
hours, moderate breezes from the S. S. E., and open, cloudy 
weather. At four p. m. Cape Horn bore by compass S. "W., dis- 
tant ten or eleven leagues. 

"We found a current setting to the K. E., say about half a 
mile the hour. The wind being moderate and the weather clear, 
we stood in near the land until nightfall, when we tacked 
ship and stood off shore for several hours. Strong breezes at S. 
W. by S. At nine o'clock in the morning, saw Cape Horn 
again, bearing S. W. by S., about twelve leagues distant. 
Strong gales at S. W. and clear weather. We found during the 
whole of the last twenty-four hours, a sensible difference in the 
temperature of the air. At noon this day, the thermometer rose 
to 37° above zero, and all the ice and snow have disappeared 
from the decks and rigging ; and notwithstanding the wind is 
contrary, things generally wear a much better appearance than 
usual. Latitude by a good observation, 55° 56' S. At noon 
Cape Horn bore W. S. W. by compass, ten leagues distant. 
The variation of the compass is about 22°, or say two points 
easterly. 

Thursday, July 28th. — First part of these twenty-four hours, 
we had fresh gales from the S. W., and open, cloudy weather. 
At three p. m. Cape Horn bore S. "W. by compass, eleven 
leagues distant ; and Barnevelts Island "W. 1ST. "W. by compass, 
about five leagues. Took in fore and mizzen topsails, fresh 
gales at S. W., and a high sea running. At six p. m. wore ship, 
and stood off shore to the S. E. It continued to blow a strong 
gale from the S. S. "W. during the night. At seven a. m., day- 
light, it became a little more moderate. Set close-reefed top- 
sails, and a reefed foresail. "We have had one and a half knot 
current, setting to the S. E. all these twenty-four hours. Lati- 
tude by observation, 55° 52' S. Longitude per account, 66° 
0' W. 

Friday, July 29th. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with fresh breezes at S. S. W., with open, cloudy weather; now 



430 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

standing off to the E. S. E., under close-reefed topsails and 
reefed courses. At eight p. m. let one reef out of the topsails, and 
at seven a. m., soon after daylight, saw the snowy mountains 
on Terra del Fuego, bearing about N. W. by the compass. At 
nine o'clock a. m. wore ship to the S. E., the wind having 
hauled to S. S. W. These twenty-four hours end with dark, 
gloomy weather, the current still setting to the N. E. at the rate 
of a mile and ajialf the hour. No observation of the sun. 
Latitude by D. K. 55° 50' south. Longitude about 65° 0' west. 

Saturday, July 30th. — First part of these twenty-four hours 
we had fresh breezes at S. S. W., with dark, disagreeable 
weather ; now under double-reefed topsails and whole courses. 
Middle and latter part of these twenty-four hours we had a con- 
tinuation of fresh breezes from the same quarter ; although we 
have had occasional squalls of snow, still the weather is milder. 
Thermometer at noon, in the cabin, stood at 35° above zero. 
Distance per log seventy miles, latitude by an indifferent ob- 
servation 56° 37' S. ; and longitude per account, 64° 30' W. 
Still beating off dreary Cape Horn, and not able to weather it. 

Sunday, July 3\st. — These twenty-four hours, as usual, com- 
menced with strong gales from the S. S. W., and dark, cloudy 
weather ; steering off to the S. S. E., at the rate of three or four 
knots the hour. Middle part, fresh breezes at ~W. by S., and 
cloudy weather. At lOh. 44' 52" a. m. the longitude, per chro- 
nometer, was 64° 50' ; and the latitude, by a good observation, 
58° 6' south. Distance made per log, seventy miles. At noon 
this day, the sky was clear, and the temperature milder, which 
is very remarkable weather to meet with off Cape Horn, par- 
ticularly at this season of the year. 

Monday, August 1st. — These twenty-four hours commenced 
with moderate breezes from the westward, and a high rolling 
swell from the same quarter, with very pleasant weather, which 
continued through the day. At sunsetting we found the varia- 
tion of the compass to be 22° easterly. Latitude at noon 58° 
48' S. Longitude about 65° 30' W. 

Tuesday, August 2d. — First and middle part of these twenty- 
four hours we had light airs and calm, cloudy weather. At two 
hours after midnight, there sprung up a light breeze from the 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 431 

N. E., which continued about an hour, and then hauled round 
to the westward again, when it began to snow. At noon single- 
reefed the topsails, and took in the main-topgallant sail. Lati- 
tude by a good observation, 58° 43' S. Distance run per log, 
fifty-two miles. Longitude per account 67° 10' W. Thermome- 
ter in the cabin 34° above zero. 

Wednesday, August 3d. — First part of these twenty-four 
hours we had light breezes from the W. ~N. W., with light 
squalls of snow, and dark, hazy weather. Toward the latter 
part of these twenty -four hours it became warmer and the winds 
light. Our prospects begin to brighten, and our hopes to revive. 
We have this day gained about seventy-two miles on a south- 
west course. Latitude by a good observation, 59° 18' S. Lon- 
gitude per chronometer, 68° 28' W. 

We are now, after a hard struggle, a few miles to the west- 
ward of Cape Horn ; but having been detained so long off the 
cape, we concluded to husband the water, and consequently 
put every soul on board on an allowance of three quarts per 
day. 

Thursday, August 4dh. — First and middle part of these 
twenty-four hours we had fresh breezes from the northeast and 
fine, pleasant weather. At four a. m, the wind suddenly shifted 
to the southward, and continued to blow a fresh gale from that 
quarter. During the remainder of the day we had fine, fresh 
breezes from the southeast, with occasional squalls of snow ; and 
it is worthy of remark, that this is the first day of fair wind we 
have had since we made Staten Land, on the 9th of last month. 
We have made one hundred and forty-four miles, per log, on a 
direct course, and have now a fair prospect of weathering the 
Cape in a few days from this date. Latitude by observation at 
noon, 58° 36' S. ; longitude per chronometer, 72° 31' W. 

Friday, August 5th. — Fresh gales from S. S. W. to S. E., 
with squalls of snow and sleet throughout all these twenty-four 
hours. We have generally been running under double-reefed 
topsails and whole courses, with a main-topgallant-sail set, all 
these twenty -four hours, and have made one hundred and sixty- 
one miles, log distance, on a direct course. Latitude, by a good 



432 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

observation, 56° 50' S. ; longitude per chronometer, 76° 53' W. 
Thermometer in the cabin, at noon, 33° above zero. 

Saturday, August 6th.- — First part of these twenty-four hours, 
we had fine fresh breezes from the S. S. E., with light squalls 
of snow ; middle part, light and baffling winds from the west- 
ward, and somewhat squally. At two hours after midnight, 
there sprung up a fresh gale from the southward, attended with 
snow and sleet ; but as the wind was fair, we were happy to 
proceed on our course, without complaining of the weather. In 
fine, we had become so much accustomed to hail, sleet and 
snow, that we looked upon these storms with but little dread or 
fear ; and whenever we were favored with a few hours of fair 
wind, considered ourselves very fortunate. We made one 
hundred and sixty-one miles per log, and at noon found the 
latitude to be 54° 40' S. and the longitude, by the chronometer, 
77° 0' W. 

Sunday, August 7th. — It is now twenty-nine days since we 
made Staten Land, since which time we have been constantly 
beating and battling against violent gales from the westward ; 
and I am now happy to say that, after this long and severe 
struggle, we have fairly weathered Cape Horn, and got once 
more into the mild and gentle Pacific. Latitude at noon, 50° 
0' S., longitude 78° 57' W. 

I shall hereafter discontinue my daily journal, and only no- 
tice the little incidents that occasionally transpire, while sailing 
on this tranquil sea. None but those who have doubled Cape 
Horn in the winter season, can fully realize the delightful sen- 
sations produced by leaving that dreary Cape, with its cold, 
stormy blasts, and then, in the course of a few days, getting 
into the bland and exhilarating Pacific. 

We are now sending up the topgallant mast, and preparing 
to set all our light sails, to waft us over the deep blue waters to 
where the skies are bright and clear, there to inhale the pure 
air, and luxuriate in a lovely climate. 

After fairly getting into the southeast trades, the winds are 
so fresh and constant, that it is scarcely necessary to shift or 
change a sail for several consecutive days. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 433 

August 12th. — This day, at eleven o'clock in the morning, 
we saw four strange fish ; they were but a short distance from 
the ship, and appeared to be about twenty or thirty feet long, 
with large heads — say about the size of a barrel — which, in 
swimming, they held above the water. They seemed to be in 
pairs, and were to us a great curiosity, as no one on board had 
ever seen fish of this description. Latitude by observation, 42° 
40' ; longitude, 81° 0' W. 

Sunday, August 21st. — Throughout this day we had fresh 
trades and fine weather. At ten o'clock in the morning we 
made the St. Felix Isles ; they are two in number, of a moderate 
height, and but a short distance asunder. We ran within two 
miles of them ; they appeared rocky and barren — have but a 
few stunted trees and bushes ; are uninhabited, and of no im- 
portance to the world, except to a few small sealing vessels that 
occasionally touch here for seal-skins. They have no good har- 
bor, and lie in latitude 26° 20' S., longitude 80° 4' W. 

In this delightful climate the sea and air seem teeming with 
life : schools of flying-fish and a great variety of sea-birds are 
joyfully sporting around our ship, and all appear conscious of a 
beneficent, protecting Providence. Over our heads are white, 
fleecy clouds and beautiful blue skies, while gentle breezes si- 
lently waft us onward toward our destined port, and promise a 
speedy termination to our outward passage. 

Tuesday, August 2Zd. — We continue to have the same fine, 
fresh southeast trade-winds daily, with studding-sails set below 
and aloft. We this day got the anchors on the bows, bent the 
cables, cleared out the cabin, and made every preparation for 
going into port. The thermometer daily ranges from 75° to 78°. 

Sunday, August 28£A. — At five o'clock in the morning, at 
daylight, made the Island of St. Lorenzo ; we soon hauled in 
shore, ran round the north end of it, and steered up the bay for 
the harbor of Callao ; but as we approached the port, I saw a 
Spanish flag flying on the castle, and a Peruvian ensign at a 
little distance on a fort, in a little village called Bella- Vista. 
These forts were perhaps a mile asunder, and kept up a constant 
firing at each other. At seven a. m. I boarded the American 
brig Herald, of Salem, then lying at anchor near St. Lorenzo. 
28 



434 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

The captain of this vessel informed me that it was unsafe lying 
at anchor in the harbor of Callao. He said the Spaniards and 
Peruvians were at war — that the castles at Callao were in pos- 
session of the Spaniards, and that they were besieged by the 
Peruvians, both by land and water — that all the merchant ships 
had left Callao, and gone to a little port called Chorillos, about 
five leagues to the southward. 

We accordingly tacked ship, and stood out of the bay. 
While standing out, we were boarded by an officer from the 
Peruvian frigate Maria Isabella, under command of Admiral 
Blanco. The officer treated us politely, and confirmed the in- 
formation given us by the captain of the Herald ; that nothing 
could be done, in a commercial point of view, at CalJao, and 
that Chorillos had for the present become the port of Lima. We 
accordingly stood out the bay, bound to Chorillos, with a light 
breeze at S. E., and somewhat hazy weather. We continued to 
hear firing at intervals of four or five minutes during the whole 
of these last twenty-four hours. In the afternoon of this day 
the wind freshened, and enabled us to reach the little bay of 
Chorillos about six o'clock, p. m., when we came to anchor in 
six fathoms of water, and moored ship — having had one hun- 
dred and thirty-three days passage from New York. We found 
lying here about forty ships and vessels of all descriptions, in* 
eluding several English, French and American men-of-war. I 
remained on board all night, and the next morning proceeded 
on horseback to Lima — the distance being twelve miles, over a 
pretty good road. 

The following is an extract from my first letter to my 
owners : 

t Lima, Sept. Sd, 1825. 

Messrs. 1ST. L. & G. Griswold, — 

Gentlemen : I am happy to advise you of my safe arrival 
at this port, on the 29th ultimo, after a passage of one hundred 
and thirty-three days. It has been rather long, still, its length 
is not to be regretted, as I fear I have come to an overstocked 
market, particularly for flour ; in this case, therefore, it is bet- 
ter to delay selling (except such articles as are in active demand), 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 435 

and wait for a further advance in prices, for snch goods as will 
not command a profit at present. 

On my arrival, I found all my mercantile friends anxious to 
get the consignment of the Governor Clinton and her cargo, but 
none of them were willing to divide commissions with me, or to 
abate any thing from their very high charges, particularly the 
three American houses established here, and thus, after repeated 
trials and offers to these commercial gentlemen, I could do 
nothing towards an arrangement. 

I then agreed with an English merchant, by the name of 
Thomas Green, who had every privilege of a native citizen ; he 
agreed to do my custom-house business for a reasonable com- 
pensation. I have hired a warehouse at $40 per month, into 
which I shall put a small portion of my cargo, and keep sam- 
ples of what I have on board ; by this arrangement I shall be 
able to dispose of such articles as are in demand, without the 
assistance of a merchant or broker, and hope, by so doing, to 
save you several thousand dollars. I have already sold all my 
white beeswax, viz., twenty-two bales, at $105 the quintal ; my 
claret wine, I have also disposed of at $6 per box, and several 
other articles at a corresponding profit. 

As the ship that conveys this letter is on the eve of sailing, 
I have not time to enter into a detailed account of my transac- 
tions, I can only assure you that I shall do all in my power to 
promote your interest. 

A person acquainted with commercial affairs, will readily 
perceive that I must have met with numerous difficulties, in 
thus attempting to transact my own business in a country where 
it is a universal custom to employ an established commercial 
house, to perform and manage the business of strangers ; con- 
sequently I had a powerful combination of bakers, speculators 
and merchants to contend with, not, indeed, openly, for many 
of them were too liberal and gentlemanly to avow it ; still it 
was a bold and daring experiment for a stranger to attempt, and 
brought down on my head much ill-feeling, and secret wishes 
that I should not accomplish successfully what I had so pre- 
sumptuously undertaken. 



436 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

On the other hand, I found lying at Chorillos the ship Ann 
Maria and the brig Brazilian, belonging to my owners, who, it 
will be perceived, had authorized me to employ the latter ves- 
sel in any way that I should find expedient, to promote the in- 
terest of my voyage. I had also the efficient aid of Mr. , 

my assistant supercargo, and Captain Hepburn, to manage the 
ship, and dispose of whatever portion of the cargo he could do 
to advantage at Chorillos, together with considerable assistance 
from Captains Griswold and Hatch, of the before-named vessels. 

Not long previous to my arrival at Peru, so many cargoes 
of flour had been imported from the United States and Chili, 
that the market had absolutely been glutted for many months. 
It had at one time been sold as low as four dollars per barrel, 
but was now getting more in demand, and as none had recently 
arrived, I had, in a measure, the control of the market, still I 
could not get offered over ten dollars. I had 1800 barrels of 
this article, and deemed it advisable to dispose of it, for fear of 
other arrivals ; accordingly, in a few days after this period, I 
sold to Messrs. Robinet & "Wheelright, a Guayaquil house, 1000 
barrels, at twelve dollars and a half, deliverable at that place ; 
the balance I soon retailed, say about a hundred barrels at a 
time, to the bakers, at thirteen dollars, and thus weathered upon 
a powerful combination of speculators, who imagined that I 
should never be able to carry out my independent plan. I also 
shipped to Guayaquil, by Captain Hatch in the Brazilian, a 
quantity of crockery ware, sheet-lead and sundry other articles, 
that were not saleable here. 

After I had dispatched the Brazilian to Guayaquil, I con- 
tinued, from day to day, to dispose of whatever portion of my 
cargo would pay a fair profit. It was my intention, when this 
object was accomplished, to leave Chorillos, with the residue, 
for Guayaquil ; this, however, depended on the news I should 
receive from Valparaiso, and the intermediate ports. 

It was the prevailing opinion here, that General Rodil would 
be able to hold out and keep possession of the castles but a few 
months longer, and should he receive no succor from Spain, it 
was confidently asserted that he would be obliged to surrender 
in the course of six months from this date. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 437 

On my arrival at Lima, I learned the following facts : that 
Generals Bolivar and Sucre had, on the 6th of August, 1824, 
compelled the royalists, under General Cantarac, to evacuate 
Lima, and retire into the interior, where, after much skirmish- 
ing, a general battle finally took place at Ayacuacho, on the 9th 
of December, 1824, which resulted in the entire defeat of the 
royalist force, consisting of 9,300 strong, while that of the pa- 
triots only amounted to 5,800. 

This was a bloody battle, mostly fought with bayonets and 
spears, without much manoeuvring on either side. I was told 
by one of the Peruvian officers who was present and took part 
in the terrible slaughter, that it was a sort of hand to hand 
butchery, and extremely sanguinary. The half civilized Peru- 
vians fought like mad devils, and all seemed determined that 
this should be their last conflict with the Spaniards. Two of 
the Spanish generals were taken prisoners, and Cantarac, the 
commander-in-chief, capitulated on the field of battle that the 
whole Spanish army should lay down their arms and evacuate 
the country. Consequently this was the last battle fought 
between the Peruvians and Spaniards, and decided the fate of 
South America. 

At the time Cantarac left Lima, on the 6th of August, 1824, 
General Rodil, with about fifteen hundred or two thousand 
Spanish soldiers, threw himself into the Castles of Callao and 
there remained until the 22d of January, 1826, being a period 
of nearly two and a half years, without aid or succor from Old 
Spain. He strenuously refused to surrender to the patriots, as 
the Peruvians were called, and would not submit to the capitu- 
lation of General Cantarac. 

The fortifications at Callao consist of two round castles con- 
nected with subterranean arches, and another fort or castle on 
the point stretching towards San Lorenzo, all commanding the 
inner harbor of Callao Bay. They are surrounded by deep 
ditches and high walls, and appear very formidable. All these 
forts together contained more than sixty pieces of cannon, mostly 
of a large calibre. The principal castle was formerly called by 
the Spaniards, " St. Felipe," but is now called by the Peruvians, 
" Independencia." 



438 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOR CLINTON. 

When 1 arrived in Callao Bay on the 28th of August, 1825. 
Rodil had already been shut up and closely besieged (both by 
sea and land) in these forts for more than a year, and at this 
time, still refused to listen to any terms of capitulation from the 
Peruvians. He was a stern, iron-hearted warrior, and it was 
said, very regardless of human life. He had scarcely a hope of 
any relief from Spain, and in my opinion should have capitu- 
lated upon honorable terms, and by so doing, saved the lives of 
hundreds of his unfortunate fellow-beings who were subsequently 
sacrificed by famine and disease, to gratify his selfish and in- 
ordinate ambition. 

A large portion of the Spanish population, and others sus- 
pected of belonging to the Spanish party, men, women and 
children, left Lima and took refuge with Rodil in the castles and 
town of Callao. I was told their number amounted to from 
eight hundred to a thousand souls. My worthy old friend and 
consignee on a former voyage, Don Francisco X. Iscue, was one 
of the number. He finally died by extreme suffering and star- 
vation. 

I was informed that the authorities of Lima would not allow 
these unfortunate people to return there again. Some months 
after the commencement of the siege, when provisions became 
scarce and very difficult to be obtained, Rodil turned them out 
of the castle into the town of Callao, and reserved all his eat- 
ables for himself and his soldiers, so that these poor, ill-fated 
beings were thrust out between the fire of the two belligerent 
parties, and left literally to starve to death. A great portion of 
the garrison, and particularly the civilians, had already died of 
hunger. They had eaten all their horses, and what provision 
they had left was sparingly served out to sustain the officers and 
soldiers of the garrison. About this time my old friend, Iscue, 
contrived to get a letter to his family in Lima, stating that he 
was very ill, that he had now and then been able to purchase a 
few eggs at a dollar each, and for a small chicken was obliged 
to pay from four to five dollars, and for all other eatables in a 
like proportion. The poorer part of their number who had no 
money, of course were left to starve. Such was the treatment 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 439 

these miserable beings received from the two fighting parties, 
who no doubt called themselves Christians. 

The following barbarous butchery occurred about eight 
months previous to my arrival at Lima. On the 3d of Novem- 
ber, 1824, a patriot force of new recruits which had been collected 
on the northern coast, entered the city. They were commanded 
by the Colombian General Urdaneta, and consisted of about 
seven hundred men. As soon as they entered, all the bells were 
rung, and in a few moments the streets near the Grand Plaza 
were thronged with people, mixed in a dense and promiscuous 
crowd of all ages and conditions. The Cabildo or city authori- 
ties assembled, when a dinner was immediately prepared and 
thirty covers were ordered for the officers. Although fatigued 
with marching, the troops were not allowed to halt, but passed 
through the city in a very disorderly manner and took the road 
for Callao, to encamp on the field under the command of some 
of their inferior officers while their chiefs remained feasting in 
Lima. 

As they approached the half-way house (La Legua), they 
were set upon by Alaix, an officer sent by Rodil, from the castles 
at Callao. This officer with his men, about two hundred dra- 
goons, were lying in ambush, and when these raw troops ap- 
proached, they sallied out, speared and cut them to pieces in 
every direction ; no quarter was given, and all who came within 
the reach of cutlasses and lances, were put to death. The fugi- 
tives were panic-struck, and fled in every direction. Those that 
escaped to the city were pursued to the very gates, and the 
dragoons even entered the town. The fugitives continued their 
flight for several leagues until they arrived at Chancay, in com- 
plete dispersion. More than seventy were killed on the road, 
and twelve within the gates of the city. The Spanish loss was 
only one man killed, and he was stabbed by a citizen while in 
the act of plundering an officer, whom he had cut down in the 
street. 

An American gentleman told me, that from a balcony he 
saw the bodies of the patriot officer and the Spanish soldier, and 
afterwards saw the twelve men who were killed within the gate : 
that their mangled bodies were collected and laid side by side 



4:40 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

immediately after the action, if such it could be called. One 
man had received at least five mortal wounds, and I was told 
by an English gentleman who resided near the gate, that he 
saw from his balcony, that the poor wretch was attacked by at 
least half a dozen Spanish cavalry ; that he was on foot, with- 
out arms, and while begging on his knees for quarter, they told 
him " they would give him quarter in hell." Immediately a 
lance was driven through his body, the lower part of his face 
was chopped off by a stroke of a cutlass, two balls passed 
through his throat, and one through his breast. Two or three 
of those killed within the city were recognized as citizens ; and 
were without arms or uniforms. They had followed the patriot 
troops on their advance towards Callao, as much from curiosity 
as from any other motive. There were only about twelve of the 
Spanish dragoons who entered within the gates, and the slaughter 
was committed in a few minutes, when they rapidly retreated 
back to Callao. 

General Bolivar had just left the patriot army in the inte- 
rior, and arrived at Chancay, at the moment the fugitives 
entered that place. He inquired into the cowardly affair, and 
by his order three or four of the officers were shot, and several 
others cashiered. He said the men would have stood their 
ground if the officers had set them the example ; for it ap- 
peared on the trial that the officers of the leading platoons first 
turned to the right-about, and this threw the whole column 
into confusion. The Commanding General, Urdaneta, upon 
whom the chief censure ought to have fallen, escaped without 
punishment. In extenuation of this dastardly affair, it is true 
that these raw troops had that day marched many leagues 
over a bad, stony road, had not halted during the heat of 
the day, and were consequently very much fatigued, as well 
as their horses, and did not expect to meet an enemy lying in 
ambush. Thus this column was evidently taken by surprise, 
dispersed and butchered without resistance, like a flock of 
sheep. 

Immediately after this affair, Eodil decreed the punishment 
of death for the removal of the remains of those who fell on 
the Callao road on this occasion, and said they should be left 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 441 

there to be devoured by the dogs and turkey-buzzards. He 
also said he would make fifes of all the bones of the d — d 
rebels that fell into his hands. Forty-two bodies were lying 
on or near the road, and there they remained, until they were 
in fact devoured as Rodil had decreed. They were frequently 
ridden over by the Spanish cavalry on passing up and down 
the road, and their skulls trampled upon and crushed to pieces 
by the horses' hoofs, as if another pang could be inflicted on 
the dead. 

These, it is true, are minute details, but they will serve to 
show the scenes of vindictive murder and butchery practised 
during the fierce and stormy war of the South American Revo- 
lution. 

From this period, November 3d, until after the battle of 
Ayacuacho, which took place on the 9th of December following, 
Rodil had not only the command of the castles at Callao, but 
over all the grounds between the two places, and strictly en- 
forced his decree with respect to the before-mentioned dead 
bodies on and near the Callao road. "When General Bolivar 
returned to Lima with his victorious army, he would not bury 
the remains of these slaughtered victims ; and thus, I suppose, 
from state policy they were left to incite a vindictive feeling of 
revenge among the natives of South America against their dead- 
ly enemies, the Old Spaniards or " Godoas," * as they were fa- 
miliarly called by the South Americans. 

Soon after the patriot army returned to the capital. Rodil 
and his troops were soon shut up in the castles at Callao. The 
Peruvian party had erected at Bella- Vista (a small village about 
a mile from the castle) a strong fort of twelve or fifteen pieces 
of heavy cannon, and thus Rodil was closely and rigidly be- 
sieged both by sea and land. From this position (Bella- Yista), 
they cannonaded the town and castles during the whole siege, 
which lasted until January 22d, 1826 ; and from this battery 
constant firing was kept up night and day, with the exception 
of short intervals of an hour or two to eat and sleep ; and in the 
same manner it was returned from the forts and castles of Cal- 
lao. From the fort at Bella- Vista they dug a ditch in a zig-zag 

* The word " Godoas," means Goths or Vandals. 



442 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOR CLINTON. 

direction towards the castle ; this ditch was about four feet deep 
and six wide, and by stooping a little, the men could not be seen 
from the forts. General Rodil had a canvas tent erected on the 
principal fort in the castle, under which he and some of his 
principal staff officers sat, watching daily with spy-glasses the 
effect of the shot and shells thrown from the castle at his enemy 
at Bella- Yista. In the bay at Callao, the Peruvians had a 
frigate, several sloops-of-war, and a number of gunboats, so that 
nothing could go out or enter the castle by water. Occasionally, 
as if for mere sport, the ships-of-war and gunboats would run in 
near enough to fire into the castle and town of Callao, and after 
keeping up a warm contest for fifteen or twenty minutes, would 
haul off again, sometimes with the loss of a few poor devils on 
both sides. They all appeared to enjoy the sport of shooting at 
each other without any definite object. 

One day I rode down, in company with several American 
gentlemen, from Lima to Bella- Yista, where we arrived about 
one hour after noon, when both parties had ceased firing, to 
dine and take their siesta. There was scarcely a house in the 
village standing that was not riddled like a grater with shot, 
and the ground in every direction was torn and ploughed up with 
shot and shells. We entered the ditch, or covered way, duck- 
ing our heads low enough so as not to be seen from the castles. 
The ditch was made to approach the castle in this manner 
/\/\/\- We went to the last angle of the covered way, 
where they had planted a gun and a mortar or two ; I should 
think it was somewhat less than half a mile from the castle, at 
the turning of these angles. It was always necessary to have a 
great quantity of fascines (bundles of brush- wood) with bags of 
sand to form a shelter from the shot. 

The engineer then directing the progress of the work, was a 
French gentleman, with whom I was acquainted. He told me 
they had a short time before completed the last angle, and 
showed me the handle of a shovel, which had just been shot 
asunder ; the shot had covered the men with dust and dirt, but 
no one had been hit that day. 

For the amusement of our party, a soldier, with a long 
speaking-trumpet, stood upon the top of the works and hailed 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 443 

the fort, calling General Rodil all sorts of bad names, such as 
"Rodil, tu Hijo de p — a picaro — Bribon," and other low, vul- 
gar names. Fortunately the man was not noticed from the cas- 
tle, and no firing took place while we remained there. 

A few weeks, however, previous to our visit, while the Pe- 
ruvian soldiers were turning one of these angles, the men dodg- 
ed and ducked to avoid the shot, when a colonel of engineers, 
somewhat provoked at them for dodging, sharply reproved them 
for their fears, and placing himself on the top of the works, ex- 
posed his whole person to the shot of the enemy, to show his 
men that he was not afraid. In another instant, a shot came 
and severed his body. He was taken to Lima, and had a pom- 
pous military funeral. I saw his remains in a church, laid out 
in great state, and after a solemn Te Deum was chanted, he was 
interred with great eclat. The roaring of cannon, and the sound 
of solemn music produced a profound, patriotic sensation, and 
no doubt the youthful portion of the community envied him 
his glorious, heroic death. Such has ever been, and will long 
continue to be, the feeling in favor of the barbarous trade of 
war, and its vainglorious attendants. Perhaps, at some future 
period of the world, when the pure spirit of Christianity shall 
become general, and the peaceful and benevolent principles of 
Jesus Christ shall be carried out, both in the letter and spirit, 
the barbarous profession of arms will be laid aside for a more 
just and humane method of settling disputes among the chil- 
dren of men. 

Although more than eight months had elapsed since the 
butchery on the Callao road, I often saw, while riding between 
Lima and that place, the carcasses and bones of these slaugh- 
tered victims, and I can truly say, they presented a spectacle 
too disgusting for language to describe. 

During my stay at Lima, I frequently saw General Bolivar, 
and regret I had not the pleasure of his personal acquaintance. 
Several Americans possessed his entire confidence, and one of 
my American friends was on very intimate terms with him, and 
spent many days at his residence. From him I gathered many 
particulars of the life and character of this great man. He was 
slightly built, and I should j udge, about five feet seven inches 



444: VOYAGE 1ST THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

in height, thin visage, dark complexion, with a dark, piercing 
eye, high forehead, and a very expressive, intellectual counte- 
nance, quick in all his motions, and possessed a very irascible 
temper. He was extremely generous in money matters, and 
very regardless of wealth. In February, 1825, the Peruvian 
Congress voted to the Liberator, as General Bolivar was called, 
a million of dollars, which he thrice refused, but afterwards 
requested that it should be given to the army. He also re- 
fused a salary of $50,000 a year, and, like Washington, asked 
only that his expenses should be paid, which, though arbi- 
trary, doubtless amounted to a less sum. He was not ava- 
ricious, though extremely fond of military fame. About this 
time the Peruvian Congress presented him, and his friend, 
General Sucre, each an elegant sword, with a gold scabbard, 
and the hilt richly set with diamonds. General Bolivar left Peru 
in September, 1826, and returned to his native country, Colom- 
bia. 

I heard, from the person alluded to, many little sayings and 
anecdotes relating to this iron-hearted warrior, whom the Peru- 
vians called the Washington of the South — a few of which I 
will narrate. He once said, " I suppose you and your country- 
men take me for a savage, which is true, in a measure : I am 
not so by nature, but have been made almost one by campaign- 
ing so many years over the wild mountains of Colombia and 
Peru." 

" Your Washington had to manage men that were moral 
and patriotic, and could therefore pursue a different course from 
what I am compelled to do : I am leading and governing a race 
of half civilized beings, and must cut down all opposition with 
the sword ; were they more enlightened, I could pursue a dif- 
ferent course ; but situated as I am, and knowing the character 
of those I command, I am constrained to shed much blood for 
the benefit of these unfortunate States, which have been so long 
kept in superstition and darkness by the wicked policy of 
Spain." 

The same gentleman once observed to him, that no perma- 
nent peace or tranquillity could be sustained in Peru, until the 
power of the clergy was reduced or abolished ; and then ob- 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 445 

served, that the sooner the church property was confiscated to 
the State, and all the bells of the churches run up and cast into 
cannon, the sooner the country would be regenerated and be- 
come intelligent ; and further observed, that the eternal jingling 
of bells helped to perpetuate and keep alive the old Spanish 
superstition. Bolivar replied, " You are right in your opinion 
on this subject ; but the time to do this has not yet arrived ; it 
must be done not suddenly, but gradually ; and when the 
younger portion of the country come upon the stage, it can be 
effected, but not at present." 

I often witnessed one judicious arrangement of General 
Bolivar, while I remained at Lima. On Sundays and holidays 
he ordered all the schoolmasters, with their pupils, to assemble 
on the Grand Plaza, in front of the Palace, where himself and 
his principal officers were seated in the balconies, and here ac- 
companied by a fine band of military music, they were all 
taught to sing hymns and national songs of liberty and inde- 
pendence. I shall never forget the joy and enthusiasm with 
which these patriotic songs seemed to inspire the numerous 
young hearts who were chanting in the presence of the brave 
and distinguished warriors who had achieved their independ- 
ence, and driven from their country the tyrants who had so 
long enslaved and oppressed their fathers. And when they 
were addressed by an orator appointed for the occasion, and 
beheld the Peruvian flag wave over their heads, the applause 
and enthusiasm were astounding. 

"While trading up and down this coast, whether at Guaya- 
quil or Lima, I never felt that my person or property was safe, 
when far from the influence of General Bolivar, or some one 
acting immediately under his command. In short, to sum up 
all in one word, the Liberator was in these States what Bona- 
parte was in France, in the height of his power. 

In my visit to Callao, I was forcibly struck with the effect 
of habit on the minds of those who were employed in carrying 
on the siege. To the uninitiated of every clime and nation, I 
believe there is, on the first firing of shot and shells, an involun- 
tary desire to dodge and duck, as the shot approaches. It no 
doubt proceeds from the sense of fear implanted in every hu- 



446 . VOYAGE m THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON - . 

man bosom, and is overcome only by a feeling of duty or pride, 
in the man of education and. refinement ; while in the masses 
of soldiers and sailors, it is nothing but habit and stoical indif- 
ference to life or death. I was told that, at the commencement 
of the siege, it was difficult to keep the men at their places to 
receive the fire of the enemy ; and now, after the firing had 
continued for the last ten months, the sense of fear appeared to 
be entirely banished from the camp, by the daily habit of expo- 
sure. Even the women appeared to disregard the danger of a 
shell or cannon-ball. 

The following conversation occurred between a good-looking 
young woman, whom I saw sitting at the door of her house, and 
myself. She was apparently unmoved at the danger, for at any 
moment a shower of shot or shells might have been hurled 
about her head. "Good woman," said I, " are you not afraid 
to sit thus exposed to the shot from the forts, when your house 
has already been so often hit by cannon balls, and you are lia- 
ble to be killed at any moment?" Her answer was, "No, 
Senor, I am not at all afraid, though I must confess I was very 
much alarmed for the first week or two ; but now I have be- 
come quite accustomed to the firing." I could not but reflect, 
that from habit, this woman felt less fear than many an epau- 
letted general unaccustomed to war and the impartiality of a 
cannon ball, which is just as likely to hit the captain as a pri- 
vate soldier. In truth, the profession of arms, and the constant 
habit of exposure, render men almost entirely devoid of the fear 
of shot, and thus it follows that one thousand such men will ac- 
complish more than ten thousand new recruits who have never 
stood fire. 



While in Lima, about this period, I witnessed the execution 
of two distinguished individuals for high treason committed 
against the State and government of Peru. One of the two 
was Senor Berin-Doago, a celebrated lawyer, who had been 
Secretary of State under the patriot government, and a leader 
in the revolution against the Spaniards. Under his administra- 
tion a law was passed (1 was told at his suggestion), that any 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 447 

• 

person found guilty of treason, should suffer capital punishment, 
and that his body should be publicly exposed as a degraded 
spectacle, for several hours after death ; and strange to relate, 
he was the first person to suffer the penalty of this law. 

He was a good-looking man, about five feet ten inches in 
height, and from his appearance I should judge, about forty or 
forty-five years old. 

I do not recollect the name of the other person ; he was a 
tall, good-looking man, about sixty or sixty-five years of age, 
straight in stature, with hair almost entirely gray, and when 
standing erect had a venerable, and I may add, an imposing ap- 
pearance. These men had wives and children living in Lima, 
and previous to this act of treachery and treason, were highly 
respected and esteemed by their friends and fellow-countrymen. 

Their families resided within the sound of the muskets which 
were the instruments of their disgraceful death. To render the 
sad catastrophe more distressing, the wife of Berin-Doago was 
at this time enceinte. 

The history of their treason as related to me, at the time of 
their trial and conviction, was in substance, as follows : — , 

While the Spanish army, under the command of General 
Cantarac, was encamped in the interior of Peril, Berin-Doago, 
with several others, were in communication with Cantarac and 
his principal officers, and secretly concerted a plot to deliver up 
the city of Lima, and consequently the whole of Peru, into the 
hands of the old Spaniards. In order to perfect their plan, the 
ci-devant Secretary of State employed this venerable gentleman 
to visit and communicate with General C. in person ; and in or- 
der to carry out their scheme and avoid suspicion, the old gen- 
tleman assumed the character of father confessor, and adopted 
the costume of a friar. In this disguise he made frequent visits 
from Lima to the army in the interior, and from time to time 
advised the Spaniards of the exact strength and position of the 
patriot force in Lima. 

This intercourse was carried on for a considerable time, until 
at length their wicked plot to betray their country into the 
hands of the enemy partially leaked out, and Berin-Doago 
made his escape from Lima and took refuge in the castle at 



448 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOK CLINTON. 

Callao, and there placed himself under the protection of General 
Rodil. The old man, his friend and associate in the plot, con- 
tinued to reside quietly in Lima unsuspected. 

Some months after, while Rodil was closely besieged m the 
castles of Callao, both by sea and land, Berin-Doago contrived, 
in the darkness of the night, to escape from the castle and seek 
protection on board of the frigate Preuba, the flag-ship of the 
blockading squadron. The first lieutenant of this ship was Mr. 
Coe, an American ; and at the time officer of the deck. Mr. C. 
told me that Berin-Doago came on board the Preuba on a very 
dark night in a small boat, and claimed the protection of the 
captain of the frigate. He said the ex-secretary appeared to 
have no fears with respect to his situation, and evidently ex- 
pected to be set at liberty the next morning, and be allowed to 
proceed to Lima unmolested. 

In this opinion, however, he was disappointed, for the next 
day he was sent a prisoner to Lima, and in a few weeks after, 
was tried by a military court-martial and condemned to death. 
Berin-Doago, being a lawyer, was so confident of his acquittal, 
that he employed no counsel, but defended and plead his own 
cause. In the course of the trial he implicated the old man, 
who was convicted as an accomplice in the treason, and thus 
they were condemned to be shot together on the grand plaza, or 
public square, and their bodies, after death, to be hung for 
several hours on a gallows subject to the gaze of the public, as 
objects of utter degradation. 

After their condemnation, the family and friends of the de- 
linquents made every exertion in their power to get them re- 
prieved, and as a last resort, appealed to General Bolivar to 
interfere in their behalf, and save them from an ignominious 
death. This he refused to do ; he said they had had a fair trial 
by their own countrymen, and were found guilty of death, that 
a salutary example was absolutely necessary for the safety of 
the state ; and that the law ought, and should be enforced. He 
referred to the case of the British Major Andre, who was con- 
demned as a spy in the American Revolution, and said General 
Washington would not pardon him ; and concluded by repeat- 
ing that they ought to suffer death. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 449 

Accordingly, on the day appointed, several regiments of in- 
fantry were drawn up on the public square, where a gallows 
was erected. The doomed men were taken from prison to a 
neighboring church to attend mass, and from thence they were 
escorted by a strong guard under arms, to the public square to 
be executed. The spectacle was exciting and highly imposing. 
With muffled drums and solemn music, they marched slowly 
towards the fatal spot in front of the cathedral, only a few yards 
from it, so that the balls from the muskets should pass to the 
walls of the church, and harm no other person than those for 
whom they were intended. The two prisoners were each 
attended by a priest bearing a silver image of the Saviour on 
the cross, and every now and then a halt was made, when the 
priest presented the crucifix to them to kiss, and after a short 
prayer their march was resumed. There was every appearance 
of deep and sincere repentance on the part of the prisoners, and 
a devour and solemn feeling visible on the countenance of each 
of their clerical attendants. In this way they moved slowly on, 
stopping at short intervals to repeat prayers and devoutly salute 
the crucifix. When near the centre of the plaza, the troops 
opened to the right and left to make room for these unfortunate 
men to pass to the seats placed for their reception. They were 
soon seated in high-backed chairs placed a few yards asunder, 
when a negro tied a napkin over their eyes and round the chair ; 
he also tied another round their waists to secure their bodies 
just above the seat. I stood with a friend on the steps of the 
cathedral, only a few yards from the prisoners, and distinctly 
saw every movement that was made. 

Every thing being arranged, twelve soldiers with loaded 
muskets were detailed to perform the execution. Six of them 
were placed directly in front of each of the prisoners, at a dis- 
tance often or twelve feet. An officer directed them how and 
when to fire ; he ordered three of the six to aim at the breast, 
and the other three at the forehead. At the word given to fire, 
the twelve muskets were simultaneously discharged. The ban- 
dage round the head of Berin-Doago was shot in two, and his 
body instantly writhed and bent forward, and was partly sus- 
pended by the napkin around his waist attached to the chair, 
29 



450 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

and thus in an instant death ensued. The old man remained 
bolt upright, without the least convulsion or sign of life. He 
was without doubt quite dead, but owing to the upright and 
motionless position of his body, the officer who directed the 
execution, appeared uncertain whether he was dead or alive ; 
and therefore ordered two other soldiers to discharge their mus- 
kets into his breast ; this order was instantly obeyed. In a few 
moments after, their bodies were put into large gray sacks and 
suspended on the gallows for several hours. The remains were 
afterwards given to their friends for interment. I would here 
remark that these men both bore their fate with fortitude and 
composure, particularly the old gentleman ; he died like a hero. 
He was perfectly composed and firm, and appeared altogether 
self-possessed, and as far as I could judge seemed to have no 
fear of death. It was not quite so with Berin-Doago, although 
as I have before said, he bore his fate with becoming fortitude. 
I thought he appeared to struggle hard to sustain himself, and 
in haste to be seated, for fear his courage should fail him at the 
trying moment. 

From the time the prisoners left the church under a military 
escort, to the termination of the execution, the most perfect 
order and silence prevailed. Not a sound was heard, save the 
solemn dirge of martial music, and the voice of the officer who 
directed the execution, and even after their bodies were hung 
up on the gallows, no noise was heard. The scene was silent 
and solemn. It was the first military execution I ever saw, and 
I hope and trust it will be the last. One circumstance struck 
me with peculiar force, that was the small number of spectators 
present on the occasion. With the exception of the military, 
there were but very few individuals present, and to the honor 
of the fair sex I saw not a single female on the plaza. 

It was now about two months since I arrived at Chorillos, and 
had already disposed of a considerable portion of my cargo, still 
I had many articles of merchandise that were unsaleable, and 
as the ship Ann Maria, Captain Henry Griswold, was about 
sailing for Valparaiso, and the intermediate ports between Lima 
and that place, I determined to send by this ship an invoice of 
such goods as were adapted to that market, and send Mr. , 



4 

VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 451 

rny assistant supercargo, to take charge of this shipment. As 
the Governor Clinton and the Ann Maria both belonged to N. 
L. & G. Griswold, I considered it my duty to unite with Captain 
H., for the mutual benefit of our employers, and here follows 

the substance of my letter of instructions to Mr. on the 

subject. 

Mr. , 

Dear Sir : I have this day shipped on board the Ann Maria, 
Captain Griswold, an invoice of Calcutta goods; rice, loaf-sugar, 
and some other articles, the whole amounting to the round sum 
of $5,500 ; you will accordingly proceed in said ship with Cap- 
tain G. to Valparaiso, and there dispose of the above invoice 
to the best advantage, for the benefit of our employers. Cap- 
tain Griswold will doubtless assist you with his advice and kind 
offices. 

Please write me by every opportunity. Wishing you health 
and prosperity, 

I remain, your friend 

and obed't serv't, 

G. C. 

Lima, Oct. 29th, 1825. 

Mr. left Chorillos with Captain Griswold, in the ship 

Ann Maria, on the 4th of Nov., 1825, bound for Valparaiso and 
the intermediate ports. 

Extract of a letter to my owners, written from Lima, on the 
8th of Nov., 1825. 

Gentlemen ; — As Captain Copeland, late of the General 
Brown, is about returning to New York by the way of Panama, 
I improve this opportunity of writing to you the substance of 
my transactions since I last wrote. I dispatched the Brazilian 
for Guayaquil, on the 24th of September, with the flour sold to 
Messrs. Robinet & Wheelright, and also shipped by this vessel 
sundiy articles of my cargo that I could not sell to advantage 
in this place. I have requested Capt. Hatch to dispose of what 
articles he could at a profit, and take what freight he could ob- 



452 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

tain without waiting over one week, and then return direct to 
Lima. 

The Ann Maria, Captain Griswold, will leave here in a few 
days, for Valparaiso and the intermediate ports in Peru and Chili. 

I have now disposed of nearly all that part of my cargo that 
was saleable, and have sent the ship to the Island of San Lo- 
renzo, for stone-ballast. I am collecting as fast as I am able 
what is due me in this place, and thus preparing to leave it as 
soon as possible. My funds up to this date are about as follows, 
namely : deposited on board the U. S. frigate United States, 
Commodore Hull, twenty thousand dollars, and also in the 
British sloop-of-war Mersey eight thousand, and have on hand 
fifteen thousand dollars, in doubloons, making a sum total of 
forty-three thousand. 

I have thus given you a hasty sketch, or general outline of 
my business up to this period, of course, I have not time to 
enter into particulars. If I am not detained collecting my 
funds, I shall probably be able to leave Lima in about a week 
from this date. 

Very respectfully yours, 

G. C. 

Captain Hepburn returned to Chorillos with the Governor 
Clinton on the 25th of November after having ballasted the 
ship, and we were soon ready for sea. Before leaving port, 
however, I will make a few general remarks on the face of the 
country, climate, etc. At first sight the hills and mountains 
about Chorillos and Lima appear high, rocky and barren, and as 
desolate as one could imagine they were left after the deluge. 
All along the coast in this region, the land is rather flat and 
undulating for some twenty or thirty miles from east to west, 
but on penetrating a few miles farther into the interior, it rises 
from hills to lofty mountains. Some of the valleys are cultiva- 
ted, and produce Indian corn, apples, grapes, oranges, lemons, 
bananas and cherimoyas. The latter is a delicious fruit, and, I 
believe, peculiar to this country. It is about the size of a 
small melon, with a green rind or covering. The interior is of 
a beautiful cream color containing black seeds, and by many is 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 453 

esteemed the best fruit in the world. The fields and gardens 
generally suffer with drought, and it is found indispensably 
necessary to irrigate them by artificial means. The climate in 
the low lands is hot and sultry during the day, but cool and 
comfortable at night. 

I had now sold goods at this port and in Guayaquil to the 
amount of seventy-five thousand dollars, and had still remaining 
a large invoice of English and German goods, which were not 
saleable here ; I therefore considered it safer to proceed up to 
windward, namely to Arica and Valparaiso, than to run to the 
leeward, and trade in the northern parts of Peru. We accord- 
ingly sailed on the 28th of November, bound for Arica and 
Valparaiso. 

We stood off shore to the southward and westward with a 
moderate breeze from the S. E. and E. S. E., and very pleasant 
weather. I employed myself for about a week arranging all 
my accounts and drawing samples from the cargo, so that on 
my arrival at Arica, I should be ready to dispose of my goods 
at a moment's warning. 

We continued to stand off shore on the same tack for ten 
days, generally laying up S. and S. S. W., with pleasant 
breezes at E. S. E. and S. E ., with remarkably fine weather. 
On the 8th of December, when in latitude 25° 30' south, longi- 
tude 86° W., Ave tacked ship and stood to the eastward for our 
port of destination. We judged it better thus to stand wide off 
shore, than to hazard beating up along the land, where light 
baffling winds and calms generally prevail. It is rather re- 
markable that during this passage we did not see a single sail 
of any description, until we got into the neighborhood of Arica. 

On Saturday, December 17th, we made the high mountains 
in the interior of Peru, some sixty or seventy miles distant. 
The next day, Sunday the 18th, the wind being light, we caught 
fifteen dolphin, a large albicore, and a turtle weighing about 
twenty pounds. These fish were very palatable to us, having 
had nothing but salt provisions since leaving Chorillos. In the 
afternoon of this day we approached within five leagues of the 
land, and then ran down along shore to the northward towards 
our port, being now about fifty or sixty miles to the southward 



454: VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

of Arica. We found the coast high and rocky, and it had alto- 
gether a barren and dreary appearance. We continued to run 
down along shore to the northward until the next day, Monday, 
December 19th, when we came to anchor in the bay of Arica, 
twenty-one days from Chorillos, which, I believe, is about a fair 
medium passage. We had fine weather during the whole time, 
and I generally found occupation in arranging my accounts, 
taking lunar observations with Captain Hepburn, to fill up the 
leisure hours, so that the time passed off agreeably, though 
without much incident. 

Arica is a small, poorly built town, of some five or six 
thousand inhabitants, lying along a bay of the same name, in 
latiude 18° 29' south, longitude 70° 19' west. It belongs to 
Bolivia, and lies about two hundred and ten miles northwest 
of the city of Potosi, and although not a good harbor, is still the 
principal and best port along the coast of Upper Peru. This 
place, like most others in this country, is very subject to 
earthquakes, and was, in the year 1605, almost totally destroyed 
by one of these terrible convulsions of nature. Although this 
port affords very good shelter for shipping in this mild and 
peaceful climate, still at times the surf is so high as to render it 
difficult to land in our own boats. The Indians and natives 
here, employ balsas instead of boats. These are two inflated 
skins of large seal, commonly called the sea-lion. They lay 
them parallel with each other, place and secure boards across 
them, and in this manner they form light and convenient floats, 
which the natives manage with great dexterity, and thus tran- 
sport passengers and goods with perfect safety. We found 
lying here some eight or ten brigs and schooners and several 
small coasting vessels. I think there were three English brigs, 
one or two Chilian vessels, and about half a dozen small craft, 
belonging to this port. Two or three of them were employed 
in the coasting trade, the residue in bringing guano from the 
small islands lying along the adjacent coast. 

On my arrival at this place, I employed Messrs. McFadon 
& Cobb to assist me in disposing of my goods, and in the 
general management of my ship and cargo. These gentlemen 
were Americans, belonging to Baltimore, and were established 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 455 

at this place and at Tacna as a general commission house. 
They were both of them good merchants, and I am pleased to 
add, they were also honest, hospitable gentlemen, and fair 
specimens of the open-hearted, generous Baltimorean character 
— ever ready to communicate and confer kind offices on their 
fellow men. 

After remaining here one day, I started on horseback very 
early in the morning, with three other gentlemen, for Tacna. 
Our company consisted of two Peruvian military officers, one 
English merchant, and myself. "We provided ourselves with 
provisions and water for a journey of thirteen leagues, over a 
sandy desert, where there is not a human habitation to be 
seen, or a drop of fresh water to be obtained, nor a spear of 
green grass for the eye to light upon — nothing but a dreary, 
solitary, widespread, sandy desert. It had every appearance 
of having been, at no very distant period, the bottom of the 
sea ; and in confirmation of this opinion, it is only necessary 
to dig into this barren waste a few feet, to find immense quan- 
tities of salt of a reddish color ; in fine, there appears to be a 
sufficient quantity to supply the whole world. Many small 
craft are employed transporting this salt from place to place 
along the coast, from thence it is taken to the towns and cities 
in the interior. The natives of this country cut it into small 
blocks, and when thus prepared, it somewhat resembles brick- 
bats. 

On our route, we overtook great numbers of men with 
mules and donkeys laden with various articles of merchandise, 
going into the interior. We also saw great numbers of asses 
laden with guano, on their way to Tacna ; the men were whip- 
ping and urging them along as fast as possible, so that neither 
themselves nor their animals should die of thirst. While pass- 
ing over this dreary desert, we were continually importuned 
for water ; and though we had not much to spare, we gave them 
nearly all we had. As we were well mounted, we felt that we 
should reach our journey's end before night, and could not, 
therefore, deny these poor creatures a draught of water, so long 
as it was in our power to relieve them. During the day, we 



456 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

saw, on the road-side, quite a number of dead mules and asses, 
that had perished for the want of it. 

The weather was excessively hot, and the reflection of the 
sun from the heated sand almost enough to blind one. The 
military gentlemen, my companions, had furnished themselves 
with green gauze veils to protect their eyes. I being a novice 
in desert travelling, had not provided myself with one, and there- 
fore suffered severely with the heat and dust. My fellow- 
travellers were polite, agreeable men, and related many pleas- 
ant incidents of their journeys in this country, to amuse us on 
the road. They were excellent horsemen, and appeared to ride 
without the least inconvenience, while I could with difficulty 
urge my horse to keep up with theirs, and at the end of the 
day's ride I was excessively fatigued. 

After this dreary journey, we arrived at Tacna at twilight. 
This little town contains, perhaps, 1500 or 2000 inhabitants. 
It is located on the bank of a small river at the foot of the lofty 
Cordilleras, about ten leagues east of the Pacific Ocean. In 
this singular country, a man may choose his own climate : by 
going a few miles among the mountains, the weather becomes 
cold and bracing, while in the valleys, and near this place, the 
temperature is generally very warm during the day, but grad- 
ually cools at night, when the cold air rushes down from the 
mountains. 

The whole of this region appears to be badly watered, and 
therefore can never be a populous country. The little river or 
stream that runs down the sandy valley at Tacna, takes its rise 
in the mountains, and appears in the morning like melted snow 
and ice water. I found it quite too cold for bathing until about 
noon ; after the effect of a hot sun, it was rendered sufficiently 
warm and pleasant. 

The land in this region is generally sandy and barren, but 
with the help of the guano, and much fresh water, a good, pro- 
ductive soil is soon made from a sandy desert. I can truly say, 
I never knew the full value of fresh water until I came to this 
country. I observed, that wherever there was a running stream, 
there were found inhabitants; and during my stay at Arica, 
I was told that, in many of the mining villages to the south- 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 457 

ward of that place, the inhabitants were obliged often to go two 
or three leagues to obtain it. At Tacna, they husband the 
water with the greatest possible care. On certain days of the 
week the river was diverted from its course, and made to run 
through the fields and gardens to irrigate the land ; consequent- 
ly, the inhabitants were obliged to lay in sufficient water to 
last them during the absence of the river. 

While in this town, I was forcibly struck with the wisdom 
and goodness of God towards the children of men. In and 
about this place, the soil is sandy and barren, but along the 
coast, and on the neighboring islands, there is an abundance of 
guano to manure the land ; consequently its transportation fur- 
nishes employment for a great number of people, where the 
land would produce nothing without it. 

As a striking proof that God has made nothing in vain, all 
along the coast of Peru and for a great distance in the Pacific 
Ocean, are numerous islands which myriads of sea-birds have 
for centuries inhabited, unmolested by man. There they have 
deposited their excrement. With this are mixed the refuse of 
their food, consisting mostly of fish, with dead birds and animal 
matter of various kinds. These substances have remained there 
from age to age, and have so accumulated as to form large 
masses, which at a little distance appear like high hills of 
whitish-gray earth. This then is the genuine guano, almost 
unknown to the world as an article of commerce until the last 
fifteen or twenty years except to a few of the Peruvians, inhab- 
iting the sea-shore. The importance of this manure is now 
known and appreciated by all the civilized nations of the world. 
Many cargoes are annually taken from these islands to England, 
France and the United States, and give employment to nume- 
rous ships. As the earth increases in population, it appears 
that Providence opens new sources for the employment of 
men. 

In the mild and gentle Pacific where there are no storms or 
violent gales, these desolate islands seem the natural home of wild 
sea-birds, where, from age to age, they have laid their eggs and 
hatched their young, undisturbed by the intruding foot of man. 
1 have frequently seen on this sea innumerable flocks of sea- 



458 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

fowls, so as almost to darken the air. It is incredible how nu- 
merous they are, and can only be believed by those who have 
witnessed it. They have been accumulating for centuries, and 
are still increasing. As it has been with the seals who once in- 
habited these islands, and were so gentle as to be easily killed 
with clubs, since their habitations have been frequented by 
man, these animals have been driven off and have become so 
shy, that no more of them can be taken except by stratagem. 
So, I suppose, it will eventually be with the sea-fowl. "When 
men invade their precincts, they will probably migrate to more 
distant and lonely isles farther off in the wide Pacific. 

I met with a warm and friendly reception from one of the 
partners of the house of McFadon & Cobb, and after a day's 
rest, commenced disposing of my goods — the samples of which 
had been sent up from Arica the day previous. I found here 
several merchants from the cities in the interior, namely, La 
Paz, Potosi, and other towns of less note. In a few days we 
sold goods to a considerable amount, and generally at good 
prices. 

I found the people simple in their manners and habits, kind, 
honest, hospitable and remarkably fond of and attentive to 
strangers. The revolutionary war with Spain, their mother 
country, and the civil wars that had so long demoralized and 
debased several other parts of Peru, seemed not to have reached 
this little sequestered village, at the foot of these stupendous 
mountains. Perhaps their poverty proved their best protection 
— not being an object for military ambition or party spirit to 
batten upon. 

I was amused to see the people of this town in their holiday 
dresses, on Sundays and " dias dejiesta" meet together to en- 
joy each other's society, and eat figs and other fruits that are 
here cultivated in abundance. Their unsophisticated, joyous 
feelings of sympathy and affection enlivened the scene, and soon 
led to the merry and amusing fandango. Their simplicity and 
open-heartedness made me feel quite at my ease with the whole 
of this little interesting community. With or without an invi- 
tation, I went into their houses, and was always kindly received, 
and, to the best of their abilities, hospitably entertained. Since 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 459 

I have been travelling about the world, I have never met with 
a more honest-hearted, social people. They appeared to me un- 
known and uncontaminated by what is called the civilized 
world, and brought to my mind the trite proverb, that " If igno- 
rance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." 

After having remained at Tacna about ten days, I again re- 
turned to Arica. I left the former place with regret, and shall 
never forget the happy days I spent with its kind and hospita- 
ble inhabitants. I found Arica a more bustling, busy place. 
Its population is composed of different races of men, but to me 
not so primitive and agreeable as those at Tacna. The com- 
mercial part of this community was made up of English, French, 
Germans and Americans ; and the masses, a mixed breed, origi- 
nally Spanish and native Indians, and from having been occa- 
sionally crossed by strangers from different countries, are now a 
motley race, developing all the colors of the rainbow, and have 
very little national character. 

In the neighborhood of this town, there is a pond of stagnant 
fresh water, which, at certain seasons of the year, engenders the 
fever and ague. In the immediate vicinity of this little lake 
was growing the Jesuit or Peruvian bark tree, and when the 
inhabitants were seized with the above-named disease, they 
forthwith stripped a small quantity of bark from these trees, and 
after it was pounded, made a strong decoction. A few doses 
uniformly restored them to health. And thus it may be truly 
and literally said, here are the bane and the antidote placed 
side by side. 

I continued to dispose of what goods I could sell to advan- 
tage, and after having decided to proceed from this place to 
Chili, took what freight I could hastily obtain and got ready for 
sea ; it was only about $14,000 in specie, belonging to British 
merchants, and consigned to their friends in Valparaiso. I also 
took on board a few passengers, the most distinguished of whom 
was an Englishman, by the name of Andrews, who had been 
for many years captain of a large ship in the service of the East 
India Company between London and China. He was an intel- 
ligent, gentlemanly man, and was at this time employed by a 
company in England to purchase mines in Upper Peru. He 



460 VOYAGE EST THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

landed at Buenos Ayres from London with a young Spanish 
gentleman, his secretary and interpreter, and proceeded thence 
across the Andes to Tacna and Arica, and after having pur- 
chased a number of valuable mines, as I understoodj had suc- 
cessfully accomplished his mission. He then took passage with 
us to Valparaiso, and from thence subsequently returned home 
to England by the way of Cape Horn. While I am on this 
subject I will here remark, that I found Captain Andrews to be 
an accomplished gentleman, an agreeable companion, and a 
most worthy man. The name of his secretary I do not recol- 
lect, but he was also a well educated, agreeable young man, and 
spoke English with great fluency, he having resided several 
years in England. After remaining at Arica eight days, we 
sailed on the 6th of January for Valparaiso. 

During the first two or three days we had very light airs 
from the southward, when the wind gradually increased and 
hauled to the S. E. "We lay up generally about S. S. W., and 
continued to stand off shore, always on the same tack, with 
pleasant breezes from the S. E., and very fine weather. We 
stood to the westward for about a week, when we were favored 
with a fine, fresh gale from the J$. W., and soon ran into the 
latitude of Valparaiso, and then steered to the eastward for our 
destined port. Thus, after a very pleasant passage of nineteen 
days, we arrived at that city on the 25th of January, 1826. 

As this was my first visit to this port, I will endeavor to give 
a short description of the " Vale of Paradise," as the name Val- 
paraiso indicates in the Spanish language. 

It is the principal seaport in Chili, and lies in lat. 33° 12' S., 
long. 77° 31' W. of London, and about ninety miles distant from 
Santiago, the capital of this Republic. The bay is large, free 
from rocks and shoals, and very well sheltered except from the 
northward. In the winter months, say from May to October, 
it is dangerous lying there. On the whole, I consider it a safe 
harbor, except in these months, at which season the wind some- 
times blows very strong, and renders it unsafe to lie at anchor. 
In fine, it is customary during this season to remove and lay up 
ships-of-war and merchant vessels in the neighboring port of 
Coquimbo, where I am told they are safe from all winds. The 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 461 

common anchorage here for merchant vessels is opposite the 
custom-liouse, but a short distance from the shore, in about five 
to nine fathoms of water. Ships-of-war anchor farther off, in 
twenty-five or thirty fathoms. The harbor is defended by a 
castle, two small forts, at the north end of the Almendral, and 
another fort farther inland. There are no wharves, and all goods 
are landed on the sand beach either from ships' boats or light- 
ers, and taken on shore on men's shoulders. When the wind 
blows strong, and the surf high, it is difficult to land goods at 
the custom-house, without wetting them. 

The town lies along the bay, in a circular form, perhaps for 
a distance of two miles, and, I should judge, contained about 
twelve or fifteen thousand inhabitants. There is a range of 
high hills immediately in the rear of the town, which leaves but 
little room for any regularity of streets, or for the building of 
houses ; consequently, it is very irregular, and the streets most- 
ly crooked and uneven. There are two considerable churches, 
and several of less note. The climate is mild and healthful, 
and the country produces all the necessaries of life in great 
abundance. The market is well supplied with meat, poultry, 
fish, bread, fruit and vegetables, and at very reasonable prices. 

I found the fruit in Valparaiso excellent and cheap, such as 
grapes, apples, pears, nuts, melons, etc. In short, all the ne- 
cessaries of life are more abundant, and cheaper here than in 
any other port I have visited on the western coast of South 
America. Although the climate of this place is delightful, and 
there are so many things to render it a desirable residence, still 
it is not without its drawbacks. It is very subject to earth- 
quakes, and there are no theatres or places of public amusement. 
A person who has enjoyed the variety and excitement of a large 
European city, will often sigh for recreations that this place 
does not afford. 

On my arrival at this port, I employed the commercial house 
of Messrs. Huth, Coit & Co., to transact my business, and soon 
commenced selling my goods the best way I could, as I had 
come to a bad market for the most of the articles I had brought 
here. 

Mr. , my assistant supercargo, had disposed of the in- 



462 ' VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

voice ot goods he brought to this port in the ship Ann Maria, 
at good prices, and had returned to Lima, to wait my return to 
that city, to join the Governor Clinton. 

After lying here about a fortnight, I succeeded in disposing 
of the greater part of my domestic cotton goods, English cali- 
coes, etc., etc., at pretty fair prices, and then dispatched Cap- 
tain Hepburn to Arica, in the brig Bolivar, Captain Myrick, to 
collect my funds in that place and at Tacna, which being ac- 
complished, I requested him to join me at Lima, and again take 
charge of the Governor Clinton at Callao. 

About the tenth of March, Captain Hepburn sailed as a 
passenger in the Bolivar, for Arica, and left me in charge of the 
Governor Clinton. 

Being unable to obtain a freight for the ship to Lima, I at 
length made an arrangement with a house here to take a cargo 
or part of a cargo of wild mules, upon the following terms. 
The owners of these animals agreed to furnish me with one 
hundred and fifty mules, to be brought to the beach opposite the 
ship, and to provide them with barley and grass for the passage 
to Lima, with three or four peons or muleteers, to assist in 
taking care of them on the passage, free of expense. On my 
part, I agreed to furnish ship-room and water, and on our arri- 
val at Callao, the owners of the mules were to give me the half 
of all I should deliver alive at that port. 

After the contract was signed, I distributed the cargo I had 
left at each end of the ship — before the foremast and abaft the 
mizzenmast ; I then placed the water-casks amidships, and bal- 
lasted with shingles ; that is to say, with small stones from off 
the sea-beach, about the size of hens' eggs. I then sheathed 
with rough boards the upper deck, and also between decks, 
placing the water-casks amidships, secured with stancheons, as 
in the lower hold. Thus prepared, I hauled the ship close to 
the shore, and received the mules and horses on board, in the 
following manner. We had prepared eight or ten pairs of can- 
vas slings, made to pass around the body of the animals. These 
slings were arranged with iron thimbles, to hook on to a tackle, 
to hoist them on board. We had also two floating-stages made, 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 463 

each sufficiently large and buoyant to take six or eight mules or 
horses. 

When every thing was ready, on the 6th of March, the whole 
drove of about one hundred and eighty were driven to the beach 
opposite the ship, according to agreement ; one hundred and 
fifty of the best of the herd were to be selected. These animals 
being closely huddled together, the muleteers commenced throw- 
ing their lassos round the necks of the mules, and when thus 
caught, another lasso was thrown around their legs which 
brought them all together, and tripped up and subdued the mule 
until the slings could be fastened around him, when he was 
forced upon the float or stage. In this manner, six or eight 
were soon tied and secured, and were then hauled by a line to 
the ship, when the seamen hooked on a tackle, hoisted them on 
board and lowered them down into the hold. With these two 
stages, the whole number were rapidly embarked. 

It was amusing to see with what adroitness and dexterity 
the peons could handle these wild mules ; in line they appeared 
to break in and manage them with almost the same facility that 
a farmer would handle his sheep in our country. 

After selecting one hundred and fifteen of the best of these 
animals, the remainder were so poor and small that I refused to 
take them on board. The person with whom I agreed, was to 
furnish me with large, fine mules, and as he did not comply 
with the contract, I considered myself fully justified in not 
taking on board indifferent, poor animals, not worth their passage 
to Lima. In the course of a few hours we got on board one 
hundred and fifteen, and the next day, March 7th, I received 
eighteen horses on freight, at two doubloons each, and then 
hauled off to our former anchorage and got ready for sea. After 
being detained two days by light winds and calm weather, we 
succeeded in getting out of the harbor on the 10th, bound to 
Callao, in company with a French merchant ship bound to 
Lima ; and the American brig Bolivar, Captain Myrick, bound 
to Arica. 

At two p. m. the port of Valparaiso bore S. E. by compass, 
about six leagues distant. Moderate breezes at S. W. and very 
fine weather. The next day we had strong breezes from the S. 



464 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOK CLINTON. 

W., and considerable sea running. All the muleteers sent to 
take care of the animals were sea-sick, and not able to come on 
deck. Latitude by observation, 33° 26' south ; longitude 74° 
6' west. 

We continued to have fine weather and fair winds from day 
to day, and were enabled to carry all our light sails, and gener- 
ally had studding-sails set during the whole passage. There 
was no incident worth remarking, and I have only to add, that 
being before the wind in a mild, gentle climate, the mules and 
horses were well attended to, and as we had a large supply of 
grass and barley, and water in abundance, they rather gained 
than lost in flesh. 

After a pleasant passage of nine days, we came to anchor at 
Callao on the 19th of March, without having lost a single horse 
or mule during the passage. 

On my arrival at Lima,. I employed William S. Wetmore, 
Esq., to assist me in the transaction of my business, and in a few 
days after, we sold to the agent of an English mining company 
my share of the mules, fifty-seven in number, at $50 each, and 
after collecting the freight on the horses and other little articles 
brought down from Valparaiso to this place, found that it 
amounted to about $3,500. 

We soon had the ship cleaned and fresh painted, and ready 
for Captain Hepburn to resume his command, but he was so- 
long detained in Arica, that I was finally obliged to proceed 
down the coast to Guayaquil, and there wait his arrival. He 
was detained in Arica collecting my funds much longer than I 

had anticipated. I found here, waiting my arrival, Mr. , 

whom I was very happy to take by the hand again ; he was a 
kind friend, and at all times very useful to me. 

I will here waive the subject of commercial affairs for a time, 
and relate the circumstances of the capitulation of the castles at 
Callao by General Rodil, which occurred on the 22d of January, 
1826, after a close siege of eighteen months' duration. Rodil 
held out until nearly all the civilians and a large portion of his 
soldiers were starved to death. His provisions were spoiled and 
exhausted, and when driven to the necessity of a capitulation, 
he would not treat with the Peruvians, except through the me- 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 465 

dium of a third power. He openly avowed he had no confi- 
dence in the word or honor of his enemy, and finally agreed 
upon terms of capitulation with the commissioners of the Peru- 
vian government on the quarter-deck of the English frigate 
Breton, commanded by Sir Murray Maxwell. He would not 
surrender himself and those under his command into the hands 
of the Peruvians, and thus himself and his officers went directly 
from the castles to the frigate, and, I believe, were taken from 
Callao to Valparaiso, and from thence to Spain in British ships 
of war. All the articles of the capitulation were guaranteed by 
Sir Murray Maxwell, the belligerent parties having no confi- 
dence in each other. 

I was informed by an eye-witness who visited the castles and 
town of Callao the day after the surrender, that it was an ap- 
palling sight to behold. The dead and the dying were ly- 
ing about, and large numbers of the former were found unbu- 
ried ; and for fear of engendering disease they were obliged to 
cleanse the town, and purify the air by burning tar and other 
combustible matter for several days. Notwithstanding I did 
not arrive at Callao until nearly two months after the surrender 
of the town and castles, the stench from the land, when the 
wind blew from that quarter, was so offensive, that I was 
obliged to unmoor our ship and remove farther from the shore. 

The dead were thrown into large vaults and pits along the 
strand, and were, in truth, not half buried. It was a most dis- 
gusting sight to witness the effects of savage warfare, for, in 
truth, it deserves no better name. 

These revolting scenes prove how soon men become harden- 
ed and brutalized by the dreadful scourge of war. They may 
call it honorable warfare, and talk of covering themselves with 
glory, and make fine speeches in its praise, still I fear, in the 
eye of God, it will be viewed but as murder on a great scale. 

I continued to sell, in the best way I could, all the articles 
of merchandise I had remaining of my outward cargo, even at 
very low prices ; the market at this time being overstocked with 
almost every kind of manufactured goods, particularly German 
linens and British calicoes. 

I also continued to collect all my specie funds and deposit 
30 



4:66 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOK CLINTON. 

them on board the American ships-of-war lying in port, namely 
the U. S. frigate " United States," Commodore Isaac Hull, and 
the sloop-of-war " Peacock," Captain Thomas Ap Catesby Jones, 
and was now anxiously waiting letters from my owners from 
home, relative to the future destination of the Governor Clinton, 
whether we should proceed with the ship to Manilla and Can- 
ton', and purchase a cargo of India goods for New York, or re- 
mit home a large portion of my funds, only retaining sufficient 
money to purchase a cargo of cocoa at Guayaquil, for Europe 
or the United States. 

Not long after this I received letters from my employers, 
advising that the prospect of proceeding to Canton for a China 
cargo was not good, and on the whole they appeared to think it 
best for me to go with the ship to Guayaquil, purchase a cargo 
of cocoa for their account, and proceed to Gibraltar. 

At this time there had been a great many failures in Europe 
and the United States, which made me fearful of purchasing 
private bills of exchange, and as I was unable to procure bills 
on the United States government for any considerable amount, 
I was obliged to ship specie dollars. I accordingly agreed on 
the 24th of April to ship on board the ship " Georgia Packet," 
of Philadelphia, Captain Charles Erwin, fifty thousand dollars, 
at a freight of 1J per cent., to be delivered at Philadelphia ; 
and in order to facilitate this shipment, Captain Jones consented 
to go out of the port of Callao with the Peacock, and deliver my 
money to the Georgia Packet, outside of the Island of San Lo- 
renzo, and then convoy her to sea. After every thing was ar- 
ranged, the two ships got under way together, on the 27th of 
April, and stood out of the port of Callao before night. An ar- 
rangement was made by all the parties concerned, that the two 
ships should stand off and on all night, and at daylight the fifty 
thousand dollars should be transhipped from the Peacock to the 
Georgia Packet ; the two commanders having agreed upon the 
manner of standing off and on. I believe the regulation was 
that the Packet should keep under the lee-beam or lee-quarter 
of the Peacock, and tack during the night, whenever the sloop- 
of-war should make a signal for that purpose. This signal was 
to be the hoisting of a lantern at the mizzen-gaft end. After 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 467 

these preliminaries were settled, I retired to my berth on board 
the Packet, and, as it was a fine starlight night, and only blow- 
ing a moderate breeze from the S. E., I congratulated myself 
upon the prospect of getting a good night's rest, and being ready 
to proceed to business at daylight in the morning. But, on 
this head, I was sadly disappointed ; for I had not retired long 
before I heard a terrible noise overhead. I immediately came 
on deck, and found the two ships foul of each other. I believe 
the jib-boom of the Packet had passed over the forecastle of the 
Peacock, and thus placed the bowsprit of the Packet in great 
danger of being carried away. Although the night was fine, 
there was a rolling swell on, and our little ship was in a very 
unpleasant position. Our sails were immediately braced aback, 
and Captain Jones, with great presence of mind, ordered one of 
his officers to take twenty men and bear off the Packet, and 
clear the ships of each other. There was no noise or confusion 
on board the Peacock, and I could now and then hear the voices 
of Captain Jones and the officer of the deck directing the men 
how to disengage the two ships. In a short time the Packet 
was shoved clear of the sloop-of-war, but not until the bowsprit 
of the Packet was carried away, together with some trifling 
damage about her bows. 

The accident happened at about half past ten in the evening. 
Lieutenant had charge of the deck on board of the Pea- 
cock, and the mate of the Packet had charge of the deck on 
board that ship. I believe the captains of both ships were be- 
low, and consequently had no hand in getting foul of each other. 
I was a passenger on board the Packet, and of course had no 
responsibility in the unfortunate affair, neither do I know who 
was most to blame ; whether the lieutenant of the ship-of-war 
or the mate of the Packet. There was doubtless bad manage- 
ment between them, and I will make no other reflections on the 
subject. I have, as I think, stated impartially all the facts of 
the case, and hope, if it should ever meet the eye of a young 
officer in charge of a ship placed in like circumstances, he will 
strive to avoid collision with other ships, which is at all times 
dangerous, and sometimes proves fatal to both parties. 

After the accident, we gave up all hope of transhipping the 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

specie, and having cleared away the wreck, both ships made the 
best of their way into Callao again. This accident caused a de- 
lay of about eight or ten days, to get a new bowsprit for the 
Packet, repair damages, etc., and it was not until the 7th of 
May, that we were enabled to go outside the port again and 
tranship the specie, which was at length accomplished without 
any further accident. 

I subsequently learned that after an ordinary passage, the 
Georgia Packet arrived at Philadelphia, and that the fifty 
thousand dollars were safely delivered to my owners. In these 
troublesome revolutionary times, it was a great relief to my 
mind, to have remitted so large a portion of my funds to my 
employers, as it lessened my responsibility in the management 
of so large an amount of property committed to my care. On 
the 24th of April, I received a letter from Captain Hepburn, 
dated Arica, the 9th of that month, informing me that he found 
it difficult to collect the funds due at that place, and that he 
feared he should be detained two or three weeks longer, before 
he should be able to realize them. 

Previous to leaving Lima, I wrote to two of the principal 
commercial houses of Guayaquil, authorizing them each to pur- 
chase for my account in that city 3000 cargas of cocoa, making 
together 6000 of eighty-one pounds each, if they could be pur- 
chased within a certain limit. Guayaquil, like all other places 
that have a limited market, is easily affected by the appearance 
of several purchasers ; therefore it is always best for those who 
wish to procure a cargo of cocoa, to purchase the bulk of it in a 
silent way before the ship makes her appearance, otherwise the 
sellers will hold on for high prices, and perhaps defeat the ob- 
ject of the voyage. I required something over 8000 cargas for 
a full load, but now having secured 6000, from my knowledge 
of the place I knew I should find no difficulty in procuring the 
remainder at the same rate, or even at a lower price. After 
having sold all the goods I could dispose of to any advantage, 
and procured what freight I could collect for the leeward ports. 
I concluded to proceed with the Governor Clinton, and let Cap- 
tain Hepburn join the ship at Guayaquil. 

Having on a former voyage, in the Sea-Serpent, given a 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 469 

sketch of Callao and Lima, I deem it unnecessary to say any 
more on that subject at this time, and will only make a few re- 
marks on the robberies committed on the Callao road. In the 
midst of war and revolution in this distracted country, there 
were many lesser evils at this period to contend with. Peace- 
ful citizens were in great danger while travelling through this 
part of the country. Even on the high road between Lima and 
Callao, robberies were committed almost weekly. 

One day I was travelling in company with Mr. Fanning, of 
Lambayeque, from Callao to Lima, and when about midway, we 
met with a young German gentleman, an assistant supercargo 
belonging to a Baltimore ship. He was from Lima on his way 
to Callao, and had just been robbed. Being mounted on a fine 
horse and very genteelly dressed, he was accosted by three 
ruffians, who knocked him down, and after beating him terribly, 
stole his horse, watch, coat and money, and left him bleeding 
and almost naked. A few moments after the robbers left him, 
Mr. F. and myself found him in this deplorable condition ; we 
assisted him to return to the half-way house on the road, where 
his wounds were bound up and he was soon taken to Lima. 
Several other robberies were committed about this time, so that 
it became absolutely necessary for two or three persons, well 
armed, to travel in company. These dastardly rascals rarely 
attacked a well-armed, resolute man, but would generally wait 
for an easy prey to pounce upon. 

While I was here on a former voyage, the Callao road was 
badly infested with these vile robbers, and in some instances, 
even murder had been committed. These scoundrels went un- 
punished so long, that they robbed with impunity. Fortunately 
for the peaceable part of the community, General Miller, an 
Englishman, belonging to the Peruvian army, happened to be 
in Lima, and was placed at the head of the military government 
of the city, aud when made acquainted with the acts of these 
wretches, determined to make an example of some of them as 
soon as possible. Not long after this, one of these fellows, who, 
it was said, had committed many robberies and one murder, was 
taken and brought to Lima ; but it so happened that the mis- 
creant contrived to get loose from his captors, and immediately 



470 VOYAGE m THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

ran into one of the churches, and there kneeling at the altar, 
claimed the protection of the priests. His manoeuvre, however, 
availed him nothing, for General Miller forthwith sent a guard 
of soldiers and dragged the villain from the altar, tried him by 
a court martial, and had him shot the next morning. This ex- 
ample soon put a stop to the crimes on this road. 

"When this country belonged to old Spain, robbers and mur- 
derers, if pursued, would escape to some church and claim pro- 
tection from the priest, and as the ecclesiastical power was above 
the civil or military, they were generally acquitted after doing 
penance, and performing other rigid religious ceremonies. 

After having made every necessary arrangement, we left 
Callao on the 20th of May, bound for Lambayeque ; we sailed 
in the morning, and during the forepart of the day had light 
and variable winds, but soon after noon took the regular S. E. 
trade, and steered to the northward, along shore. Lambayeque 
is rather a blind port. The town lies some four or five miles 
from the shore, and cannot be seen from the ship. At the land- 
ing, there are only a few small store-houses, or ranchos, which 
makes this place very difficult for a stranger to find. Along 
this coast the towns generally lie back from the sea-shore, from 
six to twelve miles ; and, as there are no pilots except at Guaya- 
quil, it is highly necessary to ascertain the latitude of the place 
you wish to find, and be governed accordingly. 

For fear of running by our port, we were obliged to keep 
close in shore, and take the hazard of being detained by light 
winds and calms, which often prevail near the land ; when at 
a little distance off shore, the fresh sea breeze continues to blow 
the whole twenty-four hours. Being therefore obliged to keep 
close in, we continued to have light winds and calms for several 
days. We, however, had remarkably pleasant weather, and 
although we made but slow progress on our course, it was 
agreeable to run along the land in this very mild and gentle 
sea, where there are no violent gales or storms to hazard life or 
limb, and where it is rarely necessary to reef a sail ; and should 
a ship be lost or stranded on this coast, it must occur from care- 
lessness or gross stupidity. 

The land near the sea-shore is generally low, sandy and bar- 



VOYAGE m THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 471 

ren ; but after advancing a few miles into the interior, it gradu- 
ally rises from hills to mountains, often towering far above the 
clouds. On a fine morning, it is a beautiful sight to gaze on 
these cloud-capped peaks, and witness the change these lofty 
scenes present. Sometimes they are entirely obscured by mist, 
and then break out clear and free from clouds, and stand aloft, 
stupendous and sublime. On the 27th of May, in the morning, 
seven days from Callao, we found ourselves off the town of 
Eton, and not knowing precisely where we were, I brought the 
ship to anchor, near a little bay, in ten fathoms of water, about 
a mile from the shore, with the view of ascertaining our position, 
and also to inquire for the anchorage of Lambayeque. We set 
our ensign, in hopes some boat would come and give us the de- 
sired information : but all in vain ; no one came, though we 
could plainly see with our glasses a few Indians on shore ; still 
no movement was made, and after waiting an hour or two, I 
decided to land in our own boat. For that purpose I manned 
two, the jolly-boat and pinnace. The first, with four young 
men, volunteers, and the latter prepared to anchor just outside 
the surf, so that in case any accident should befall the jolly-boat, 
the other would be at hand to save myself and crew from 
drowning among the breakers. It was a fine, calm morning, 
but still there was an awful surf rolling on the beach, which 
was exposed to the whole rake of the broad Pacific, without 
any thing to protect or break its violence. Thus equipped, we 
pulled into the little bay, and anchored the pinnace just outside 
the breakers, and calmly looked on the scene of action. I then 
addressed the boat's crew, and told them, that if any one feared 
the result of landing, to express it openly, and that I would not 
insist on their going, if they were afraid of the consequences. 
The answer was unanimous, that they were not afraid to go 
where their captain was disposed to lead them. I now arranged 
with the officer in charge of the anchored boat, to wait the re- 
turn of the jolly-boat, and then proceed to the ship together, 
with directions to the chief mate of the Governor Clinton, to 
wait further orders from me, before he got the ship under way 
again ; and after having settled the preliminaries, I waited a 
smooth time and pulled away for the shore. I steered the boat 



472 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

with an oar, and fortunately she flew like an arrow over the 
foaming surf, without broaching to, and in a few minutes we 
were safely landed on a dry sand beach. I left one man with 
the boat, and took the other three with me in search of the 
town, which was located about a mile from the beach, over a 
sandy desert. On our way to the village, we saw several 
Indians, but they all fled as we approached them. The cause, 
I afterwards learned, was the fear of being impressed, and taken 
forcibly away, as they doubtless took us for a Peruvian ship-of- 
war. We soon reached the village, and found it was called 
Eton, some twelve or fifteen miles to the southward of Lam- 
bayeque. 

After a little conversation with the curate and the alcalde, I 
returned to the beach, and waited about an hour for the surf to 
run down a little, when I dispatched the boat for the ship, re- 
taining a favorite sailor, by the name of Brown, to accompany 
me as a sort of aid and humble companion, to ascertain how the 
land lay, and whether I could carry on any trade with the in- 
habitants of Eton. I staid on the shore until I saw both boats 
safe alongside of the ship, and then, with my faithful attendant, 
returned to the Indian village, where we received a hearty wel- 
come from the Cura, alcalde, and all the principal men and 
women of this little town. They all crowded round us, with 
great apparent delight and curiosity ; the women, particularly, 
examined our clothes, and seemed anxious to see how they were 
cut, and scrutinized the sewing with the most intense curiosity. 
The cura occupied a house adjoining the church, and said, if I 
had any articles of merchandise, contraband or not contraband, 
that he would give me every facility in his power. He said he 
would deposit them in a secret room in the church, where they 
would be safe and sacred, as nobody had access to that part of 
it but himself; that he was the only white man in the village; 
and that the people were simple, honest and ignorant ; that 
through their confiding ignorance and superstition, he governed 
them with perfect ease, and always kept them quiet and peace- 
able ; that if I could dispose of any thing to advantage, he 
should be satisfied with whatever compensation I should think 
proper to give him. He treated me with chocolate, bread and 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 473 

dulces, sweetmeats, etc., and then led me all over the town. I 
soon learned from the alcalde and the principal shopkeepers, 
that I could dispose of but very few articles, and the difficulty 
of landing was so great, that I resolved to abandon the idea of 
trading with them. 

I then wrote the following note to the chief mate, and 
agreed with an Indian, through the alcalde, to take it on board 
the ship, and return with another from him. 

To L. B. Griswold, Chief Mate of the Governor Clinton : 

Sir, — I find this place is not Lambayeque, but an Indian vil- 
lage called Eton, about twelve or fifteen miles to the southward 
of our port. You will therefore, on the reception of this note, 
please get the ship under way, and make the best of your way to 
our place of destination. I will retain Brown with me, and shall 
leave here to-morrow morning, on horseback for Lambayeque. 
Wishing you a safe and speedy passage, 

I remain your friend and obed't serv't, 

GEOKGE COGGESHALL. 

Eton, Friday, May 21 th. 

In a few minutes the Indian fastened the note in his hair, 
and swam off through the surf to the ship ; and in about an 
hour, this amphibious animal returned with the following note 
from the chief mate of the Governor Clinton (for this service I 
paid the Indian one dollar). 

Ship Governor Clinton, off Eton, May 27 tk, 1826. 

Captain George Coggeshall : 

Sir, — I have just received your note by an Indian, and will 
obey your order without delay. I can now see two brigs at 
anchor, bearing from us about N". W. by N., ten or twelve 
miles distant, which I suppose is the port we are in search of. 

I remain, 

Your obedient servant, 

L. B. GKISWOLD. 

1 had now decided to remain at Eton during the remainder 



474 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

of this day, and after a night's rest, take horses and start at day- 
light the next morning for Lambayeque. The Indian village 
of Eton lies in 6° 56' south latitude ; longitude 79° 49' west, 
and about fifteen miles by land from Lambayeque. It is sit- 
uated about a mile from the sea-shore, on a plain, and I should 
judge contains about a thousand or twelve hundred souls — all 
Indians, except the cura. They generally speak Spanish, 
though they all understand and often converse in the original 
Peruvian language. They are a good-looking race of Indians, 
of a light copper-color, and some of the females are handsome. 
The women mostly dress in long flowing robes of blue cotton 
cloth, made by themselves. The men wear short jackets and trow- 
sers, of different colors — some of their own making, and others of 
foreign stuffs, bought in Lambayeque. They weave cotton and 
woollen ponchos, and other articles of dress of bright colors, — 
many of which are very ingenious and pretty. They seem to be a 
harmless, docile race, and have none of the haughty bearing of 
the North American Indians. Their religion is all derived 
from the Roman Catholic priests, and of course abounds in 
forms and ceremonies. They are credulous to the last degree ; 
believe all they are taught by the cura; will recount many 
miracles that have been performed by sundry saints ; and be- 
lieve that their village is under the special protection of the 
Virgin Mary, whom they term the " Mother of God." 

There is rather a pretty church in the village, and, I should 
think, about two hundred houses — the most of which are one 
story high, and built of sun-burnt brick, with thatched roofs. 
They have also a small chapel, built near the sea-shore where 
we landed. This church, Iwas told, was built in commemoration 
of some pious saint, who, by his prayers, saved the lives of the 
crew of a small vessel that was stranded near the spot where it 
stands. The cura told me, that once a year all the inhabitants 
of the town marched in solemn procession to this little edifice, 
to offer their prayers to its patron saint, and also to thank the 
Holy Yirgin for her kind protection during the last year. 
During the evening of my sojourn here there was a great pro- 
cession formed, and marched about the streets with rude music, 
both vocal and instrumental ; and after this ceremony had been 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEENOE CLINTON. 475 

performed, they entered the church, listened to the prayers, and 
received the blessing of the cura, and then retired quietly to 
their respective homes, apparently pleased and happy. 

They had at Eton a tolerable market, which was pretty 
well supplied with beef, mutton, poultry and fruit, and at very 
reasonable prices. Brown and myself ate and lodged with the 
alcalde, and fared very well. His charges for our food and 
lodgings were reason able. I arranged with him, to furnish me 
with two horses, and a man, also mounted, to serve as a guide 
to Lambayeque, and to take back the horses. We provided our- 
selves with provisions before starting, as I understood we could 
get nothing on the road. For the guide and the animals I 
agreed to pay Seiior Alcalde six dollars ; and after making 
sundry presents to my friend the padre, we started at six 
o'clock the next morning, May twenty-eighth, for the city of 
Lambayeque, and bade adieu for ever to Eton. 

We travelled at a moderate rate over a very irregular road, 
sometimes rural and pleasant, at others, rough and barren, with 
now and then a few ranchos and some patches of cultivation, 
but no regular carriage road. Our guide was a merry, social 
fellow, and amused me by relating in detail, many wonderful 
miracles that had been wrought by various saints in and about 
Eton, at different periods. One, among others, I recollect, was, 
that the Yirgin Mary, in company with an Angel, descended 
one night at a certain place, near the village, and ever since 
they set their feet upon the ground, that spot has a hollow vi- 
brating sound, and has since been consecrated by their saint- 
like cura, and is now considered as a holy place. 

I heard him relate these miracles, which he appeared to 
think were as true as Holy Writ. When at length I asked 
him whether he was foolish enough to believe such absurd 
stories, which I assured him had not a shadow of truth in them, 
and were only got up to deceive him and his credulous country- 
men, the poor fellow was terribly shocked at my incredulity, 
and began to cross himself in a most serious and devout 
manner, and his countenance seemed to say, " Oh God, de- 
liver me from this unbelieving heretic !" After this, we rode 
on for some fifteen or twenty minutes in perfect silence. We 



4:76 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEENOE CLINTON. 

were about three hours on the road, and arrived at Lamba- 
yeque at nine o'clock, after a pleasant ride ; the weather was 
fine, and there is always much to admire in wild and romantic 
scenery. 

I had a letter of introduction to an American gentleman, 
who was the principal merchant residing in this town. He was 
a most worthy man, and received me in a kind, friendly man- 
ner ; he made me feel quite at home in his hospitable mansion. 
John J. Fanning was a native of Mystic, near Stonington, 
Connecticut, and had been absent from his home and country 
about twenty years ; here he married a respectable young lady, 
a native of this place, where he had been residing for the last 
fifteen years, with the exception of now and then making a 
voyage to Lima and other places along the Peruvian coast. He 
had a family of six children, and was one of the richest and 
most influential men in Lambayeque. He had been in this 
country so long that he had forgotten a great deal of his own 
language, and spoke English with the Spanish accent, and ap- 
peared more like a Peruvian than a native of Connecticut. He 
was a man of strong mind, open-hearted and generous to a fault ; 
and although he had been so many years absent from the 
United States, appeared to have lost nothing of his patriotism. 
He was always delighted to meet his countrymen, and loved to 
dwell on the growth, prosperity and power of his beloved 
country. His wife and children spoke not a word of English, 
but whenever Mr. F. introduced an American to them, Mrs. 
Fanning and her children seemed to have a kindred feeling for 
the countryman of the husband and father. 

The weather had been pleasant for the last two days, but 
the winds so light and baffling, that the Governor Clinton did 
not get to the anchorage at Lambayeque until the thirty-first 
of May, four days after I left her off Eton. 

Although Lambayeque was a place of some importance in 
a commercial point of view, still there was not a comfortable 
hotel in the town. This circumstance induced Mr. Fanning to 
hire a house, and establish a Swedish sailor, by the name of 
Joseph Menich, to take charge of this establishment, that stran- 
gers coming to this place should be made more comfortable ; 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 477 

and it was at this house that myself and my assistant super- 
cargo took up our abode. We soon became acquainted with 
the leading families in this place, so that after the labor of the 
day was over, we could spend our evenings in the society of 
several agreeable families. 

On the 2d of June, I agreed with Mr. Fanning to land sev- 
eral bales of German platillas, ten boxes of hyson tea, sundry 
trunks of printed calicoes, fifty boxes of claret wine, and many 
other articles of merchandise, and leave them in his hands to 
dispose of on commission, for account of the owners of the 
Governor Clinton ; and that I would return here after I had 
purchased a cargo of cocoa at Guayaquil on my way up the 
coast before my final departure from this country for Gib- 
raltar. 

Fortunately the weather continued mild and fair for several 
days, and we landed all our goods in safety, using the balsas 
which are owned and manned by the Indian watermen who 
reside near the sea-shore, and are very expert in the manage- 
ment of these buoyant, floating craft. Without the aid of these 
balsas, there could be little or no communication with the shore 
on this part of the Peruvian coast, where there are no harbors 
for several hundred miles ; and thus all the goods that are land- 
ed or shipped from this part of the coast, are transported by the 
Indians on balsas. They are made in the following manner: 
by placing eight or ten large pieces of very light, buoyant wood, 
say about the size of a barrel, parallel with each other, tightly 
bound and secured together, then cross-pieces of smaller logs 
are laid amidships, when a platform is erected of boards, over 
which are spread dry mats, and then a mast and sail to conform 
to the size of the balsa. They float very lightly and high out 
of the water, and are capable of carrying large cargoes. They 
are made large or small according to the taste or desire of those 
who make them. Thus constructed and equipped, they ply up 
and down the coast to most of the neighboring towns and vil- 
lages lying along the sea-shore in this part of Peru. They are 
admirably adapted to landing and going off through the surf, 
where no other boat could live or be safe under like circum- 
stances. While here I went on board one of these balsas, which 



478 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

was about sailing on a fishing expedition to the Lobos Islands. 
They expected to be absent about a week or ten days. These 
islands are two in number, are uninhabited, but abound in fish. 
They lie very near the coast, in latitude 6° 58' south, and lon- 
gitude 80° 4/ west. All the stores I saw prepared for the voy- 
age, were a little salt, a few bags of parched corn, and a barrel 
of water ; with a crew of eight or ten men. They appeared to 
be quite happy, and anticipated a profitable voyage, by return- 
ing with a cargo of pickled and dried fish. 

I think these frail floating vessels fairly illustrate the uni- 
form mildness of this fine climate, where for several hundred 
miles in extent, the sea can be navigated in open boats and 
floating rafts with perfect safety.* Here are no gales to alarm 
the mariner, or render it necessary for him to watch the clouds 
or observe the symptoms of the coming storm ; and I repeat 
that there never was a sea more appropriately named than this 
Pacific. 

I find no mention made, or notice taken, in any book with- 
in my reach, of Lambayeque, and have nothing to refer to on 
the subject. I will, however, here attempt to give a slight 
sketch of the place, extracted from my journal. It lies in lat- 
itude 6° 40' S., longitude 79° 50' W. of London, is located on a 
plain, about six miles from the sea, and probably contains about 
ten or twelve thousand inhabitants, a large portion of whom are 
Indians, and a mixture of the Spanish race with the original 
Peruvians, with an occasional crossing by the African breed ; 
here one meets with all the intermediate shades of the white and 
black races. 

The public buildings are small and insignificant, except the 
principal church, or cathedral. This is large, and has a tower 
sufficiently high to overlook the adjacent country, and the ship- 
ping lying at anchor in the roadstead. To this tower I used 
often to repair, with a spy-glass, to observe the ships lying at 
anchor, or standing off and on the landing place. I believe 
there are one or two other little churches, of not much note. 
The inhabitants of Lambayeque are all Roman Catholics, and 

* If asked how these buoyant rafts can beat to windward, I answer, by inserting 
pieces of boards down between the logs to act as a keel. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 479 

a great majority of them are extremely ignorant and super- 
stitions, believing in all sorts of miracles and absurdities. For 
example, I once met a grand procession in the streets, following 
three immense wax figures some six or eight feet high, dressed 
in long, loose robes, and mounted upon the heads of three stout 
negroes, in such a manner that their feet only could be seen. 
The first one represented an old man with a gray head : the 
second, a person much younger ; and the third was intended to 
represent a person somewhere between the other two. These 
grotesque figures were immediately followed by a Padre, and a 
large number of people, generally of the lower classes. In the 
train they had also various kinds of rude music, such as drums, 
fifes, fiddles, tambourines, etc., all playing and singing about 
the streets. This ceremony lasted perhaps two hours, when the 
whole cortege marched to the cathedral, where the images were 
deposited, and the assembly dismissed. I was standing in the 
street, with a friend, near where the procession passed, when 
the following dialogue took place, between an inhabitant of the 
town and myself : " My friend, can you tell me what those 
large images mean to represent ? " when he answered with 
much apparent surprise, " Si, Senor, Aquellas representan, El 
Padre, el Hijo y, el Espiritu Santo ;" and at the same time 
gave me a look, which seemed to say, Oh ! how I pity your pro- 
found ignorance ! 

They have here a tolerable market for the ordinary necessa- 
ries of life ; beef, mutton and poultry, are pretty good. I ought, 
however, to qualify these remarks, and observe that in all warm 
countries and in low latitudes generally, beef is not very good, 
so I found it in this place : though it was but indifferent, the 
mutton and poultry were excellent, and not very dear. The 
prices I paid for the supplies of our ship, were as follows : — for 
beef, five to six cents per pound ; sheep, three dollars each ; 
fowls, one dollar a pair ; rice, three and a half cents per pound ; 
sweet potatoes, fruit and vegetables generally, abundant and 
cheap. They Have plenty of Indian corn, but no wheat, except 
what is brought from Chili and other countries. 

Many of the houses of the richer classes are well built and 
comfortable : those of the poor, are but one story high, and built 



480 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

of sun-burnt brick. The gardens and grounds in the southern 
and eastern vicinity of the city, are pleasant and tolerably well 
cultivated ; but the land between the town and the sea-shore, is 
but a wide space of barren sand. 

There is considerable commerce carried on at this place, 
notwithstanding it has no harbor for shipping. There were here 
one English brig, one Peruvian schooner, and our ship, the 
Governor Clinton. They have but little to export save the pre- 
cious metals, and these consist principally of crude silver, called 
in the Spanish language, plata-pina. They sometimes export a 
few ox-hides, goat-skins and some other articles ; but the whole 
amount to very little compared with what they import, or rath- 
er what is brought to them from England, France, and the 
United States of North America ; consequently it follows that 
this country must continue poor so long as they manufacture 
little or nothing for themselves, and have to purchase every 
thing with the produce of their gold and silver mines. In fine, 
they do not wait long enough to have it coined, but dispose of 
it in its crude state ; it is cast in all manner of shapes, in pieces 
from the size of a man's fist to that of a seven pound sugar 
loaf. 

After landing all the merchandise intended for this port, and 
getting on board a few casks of water, and a supply of fresh pro- 
visions, fruit and vegetables, we got ready for sea ; but before 
sailing, I made an arrangement with my friend and fellow- 
countryman, Fanning, to purchase for my account a considera- 
ble quantity of plata-pina, if to be obtained at a certain limit. 

On the morning of the 4th of June I took leave of my friends 
in Lambayeque, repaired immediately on board the Governor 
Clinton, and got under way, bound to Payta. The wind was 
light during the morning, but in the afternoon the regular sea- 
breeze sprung up, when we proceeded rapidly on our course 
before the wind along shore, towards our destined port. "We 
had a fine, fresh breeze during the night, and at daylight found 
ourselves near Point de Payta, and being quite familiar with 
the bay and harbor, we hauled close in with the point, steered 
up the bay and came to anchor on the 5th of June, directly op- 
posite the town, in ten fathoms of water. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 481 

For a description of the bay, harbor and town, I beg leave 
to refer the reader to my former voyage in the brig Dick, in 
August, 1822. 

On my arrival here I employed Don Francisco Tabara to 
assist me in my business. He was a native of this place, and 
one of the richest and most influential merchants belonging to 
Payta, and to this gentleman I sold goods to a very considerable 
amount, and agreed to receive my pay in Peruvian bark, it be- 
ing at this time difficult to obtain cash for articles which were 
not in immediate demand. Four days after my arrival, the 
United States ship Peacock, Captain Thomas Ap Catesby Jones, 
arrived here from Lima, and being unable to obtain what sup- 
plies she required, lay here but one day, and then made sail for 
Guayaquil. I, however, continued to retail what goods I could 
for cash, and such as were not adapted to this market to take to 
Guayaquil ; still I had sundry articles of merchandise which I 
judged advisable to leave in the hands of Don Tabara, to dis- 
pose of for account of my owners ; and among other things, left 
with him fifty barrels of beef and pork to dispose of during my 
absence. I agreed with Mr. T. to return here from Guayaquil, 
after I had taken on board a cargo of cocoa, and receive the 
bark and specie which he promised to have ready on my return. 
After lying in this port just one week, we made sail for Guaya- 
quil on the 12th, at four o'clock in the afternoon, with a fresh 
S. E. trade wind, and steered down along shore towards Cape 
Blanco. When near this cape, we found it necessary to hand 
our top-gallant sails and single-reef the topsails. This is a very 
conspicuous point, and a very remarkable place for strong 
breezes. It is a common saying among seamen in this part of 
the world, that it is impossible to pass this cape without meet- 
ing with strong gales, which almost always render it necessary 
to hand all light sails, and reef topsails. Cape Blanco lies in 
latitude 4° 19' south, and 81° 6' west. The next day, after 
passing this cape, the wind moderated and the weather was fine. 
We saw the land about Point Los Picos, bearing S. E., about 
four or five leagues distant. Latitude, by observation at noon, 
3° 35' south. 

The next day, June 14th, the wind was light from the south- 
31 



482 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOK CLINTON. 

ward, with fine, pleasant weather, the land in sight all along 
shore. At four in the afternoon passed near the mouth of the 
River Tumbes, and steered up the bay, with a pleasant breeze 
from the southwest. At ten p. m. it fell calm, when we an- 
chored for the night in five fathoms of water. 

June 15th. — Got under way at daylight, with light, baffling 
winds, and stood up the river. At six in the afternoon arrived 
at the Island of Puna, when we met the ebb-tide and came to 
anchor for the night in four and a half fathoms of water. Light 
winds and fair weather. 

June 16th. — At seven a. m. received a river pilot on board, 
and at eight a. m. got under way, and stood up the river with a 
fair wind from the S. W., and clear, pleasant weather. 

About two in the afternoon we came to anchor opposite 
Guayaquil, in six fathoms of water, after a pleasant passage of 
four days from Payta. 

On my arrival here, I found the two American houses, 
Messrs. Wheelright & Boully, and Messrs. Bartlett & Swett, 
had purchased all the cocoa I had ordered, say 8,000 cargas, at 
a price within my limits, and that it was all ready to go on 
board. But I had still remaining of my outward cargo unsold, 
about one hundred barrels of salt beef and pork, and a consid- 
erable quantity of English and German goods. I, however, lost 
no time in discharging my ballast, and getting the ship ready 
to receive the cocoa ; when, to my great joy, my efficient friend 
and former captain, arrived here from Arica via Lima, on the 
3d of July, and again took the command of the Governor Clin- 
ton. This circumstance relieved my mind very much, and left 
me at liberty to write to my correspondents at Payta and Lam- 
bayeque, requesting them to get every thing in readiness, 
against my return to their respective ports. I also had more 
leisure to attend to the sale of what goods I had still remaining. 
I found lying here, on my arrival, the U. S. ship Peacock, 
taking in stores, and preparing for a voyage to the Sandwich 
Islands. There were also several merchant ships of different 
nations, principally English and American. I should think 
there were about fifteen or twenty sail in port, including seven 
or eight coasting vessels. I recollect the names of but two of 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 483 

the American vessels lying in this port, the brig Phoenix of Sa- 
lem, and the brig Nile, Capt. George Newell, of Boston. 

On a former voyage to this place, in the brig Dick, in Au- 
gust, 1822, I remarked, that floating rafts, or balsas, were used 
as lighters, for loading and unloading ships at this port, and all 
the other little places lying on this river. 

On the 1st of July, we commenced taking on board our car- 
go, in the following manner. The cocoa is all put into sacks 
and weighed on shore, in the warehouses, and from thence taken 
on the shoulders of Peons, put on board of the balsas, floated to 
the ship, and poured into the ship's hold in bulk. Cocoa loads 
a ship very deep, and it is not always prudent to fill her en- 
tirely. We finished loading on the 17th of July, and had on 
board 8,600 cargas, each weighing eighty-one pounds. We had 
also three hundred dry ox hides, and a quantity of old copper ; 
and after taking in sundry ship stores, cleared out and got ready 
for sea, and on the 20th made sail for Payta. Two days after 
leaving Guayaquil, we got out of the river's mouth and accom- 
plished the passage in six days without meeting with any in- 
cident worth noting. 

On my arrival at Payta, Don Francisco Tabara had disposed 
of nearly all the goods, and had the avails ready to go on board, 
namely, bark and specie. On the 28th I took on board one 
hundred and sixty ceroons of Peruvian bark, and after filling 
up all our water-casks, and receiving a quantity of stores, got 
ready for sea. 

Having on a former voyage given a sketch of this little place, 
I will only make a few remarks on its pure air and healthful 
location. Many of its inhabitants live to a very great age. 
While I was here, a man died who was said to be 111 years 
old. I went with Don Tabara from curiosity, to see several old 
people, that were from 90 to 100 years. Among others, we 
visited an old man and his wife, the latter was 100 years of age, 
and the husband probably somewhat older. He appeared to 
retain his mental faculties, and was able to walk about ; he told 
us he clearly recollected when the town was taken and sacked 
by the English — or to use his own words, "Me acuerdo del 
tiempo quando mi padre me llevo para ver los soldados Ingleses 



484: VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON". 

que tomaron esta villa y que estaban vestidos de Colorado."* 
In corroboration of his statement, I find, on referring to Lord 
Anson's Voyages to the Pacific, that in the year 1741, he took 
this little town, and that, after having driven away the garrison, 
he sacked and burnt the place, and the spoils amounted to 
£30,000 sterling (or say about $150,000), besides jewels and sil- 
ver plate, to a very large amount. The old man's wife, though 
not so aged as himself, had lost her memory, and looked very 
much like an Egyptian mummy. I gave these people a trifling 
sum of money, with a few bottles of wine, and in return receiv- 
ed their blessing, and a thousand thanks for what they termed 
my liberality. They live extremely simple, retire to rest at 
nightfall, and rise at daylight. 

On the 30th of July, after staying in this port four days, we 
made sail for Lambayeque. "We stood off to the S. S. "W"., with 
a fine, fresh S. E. trade wind to get off shore far enough to avoid 
calms and baffling airs, and were favored with fine, pleasant 
weather for several days. We continued to beat up against 
strong breezes, with a considerable lee current against us, and 
did not arrive at Lambayeque roads until the morning of the 
6th of August, after a passage of six days. 

As soon as we came to anchor, my friend, Mr. Fanning, 

sent off a small balsa, and took Mr. and myself on shore, 

where we remained all night. The next day, we took horses, 
and rode to the landing ; the weather being fine, we repaired 
on board the Governor Clinton, on a balsa, and brought with 
us all the dollars and doubloons we had on board, to pay for the 
plata-pina purchased by. Mr. F., for account of myself and the 
owners of the Governor Clinton. This was happily performed 
without any accident. The next day, August 8th, Mr. Fanning 
purchased what plata-pina was needed to complete the amount 
required by me, together with all necessary sea-stores, such as 
sheep, poultry, rice, potatoes and other vegetables. The next 
day we saw weighed and packed all our plata-pina. It was put 
into ten patacas or strong baskets, filled in with small cakes of 
chancaca, or half-boiled sugar, to confine the pina, and prevent 

* Translation : — When I was a boy, I remember my father took me by the hand to 
see the English soldiers when they took this place, who were all dressed in red coats. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 485 

it from shifting about in the baskets. There were 2,200 marks. 
This pina cost on shore, eight dollars per mark, exclusive of 
commissions and shipping charges, and ultimately proved a 
better remittance than either dollars or doubloons. Early in 
the morning, on the 12th, these patacas were placed upon the 
backs of mules, and after several donkeys were loaded with our 
live stock, vegetables and other sea-stores, the whole cavalcade 
started for the landing-place. "We had with us Mr. Fanning, 
his clerks, and several custom-house officers, but on our arrival 
at the beach, to our great disappointment, we found the Indians 
had no balsa ready to transport our treasure on board, conse- 
quently we were obliged to put every thing into Mr. Fanning's 
warehouse, near the shore, and wait for the Indians to get the 
balsa ready, which detained us until four o'clock in the after- 
noon. 

There had been during the day a fresh sea-breeze, which 
produced considerable surf, that did not exist in the morning, so 
that all our trouble and difficulty arose from the careless indo- 
lence of the Indian watermen — of whom there were three — to 
sail and manage the balsa ; beside these, there were also Mr. 

, myself, and two sailors belonging to the ship. "We at 

length got every thing on board, and made sail to pass through 
the surf in the ordinary way. The wind, at the time, was blow- 
ing a'moderate breeze directly along the shore, so that the sail 
of the balsa was full, and it moved off apparently very well for 
a few minutes, until we met with three heavy seas, which 
rolled in upon us with such violence, that one of the logs on 
which the plata-piila was stowed broke, and one of the patacas 
was washed overboard and entirely lost, with a considerable 
portion of our sea-stores ; and it was with the greatest difficulty 
we could keep the whole of our valuable cargo from washing 
overboard ; and though it was a severe trial to lose so much 
property, still I felt, at the moment, that it was nothing in com- 
parison to the loss of life ; for we certainly were in the most 
imminent danger. "We however escaped with a thorough 
drenching, and felt that we had been providentially preserved. 

After we got through the surf, the sea was smooth, and we 
sailed off and came to anchor near the ship. Captain Hepburn 



486 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEENOE CLINTON. 

soon came to our assistance with the ship's boats, and in a few 
minutes the balsa was discharged, and every thing taken on 
board. The pataca that was lost contained 255 marks of plata- 
pina. 

These Indian watermen are extremely superstitious. While 
in our perilous situation among the surf and rolling breakers, 
they spoke not a word, but made a low hissing sound and kept 
perfectly still. 

I will not, however, judge them too harshly ; perhaps they 
were addressing the Great Spirit ; for although men may wor- 
ship in different forms, still we find that the different races of 
the earth almost all acknowledge a Supreme Being. 

After getting our letters and bills of lading ready, which we 
designed to leave in the hands of Mr. Fanning, I dispatched the 
balsa on shore ; and at eight o'clock the same evening, August 
12th, we got under way, and stood out to sea, bound to Gibral- 
tar, with a fine, fresh southeast trade. "We had now left our 
last port on this coast, after a long and tedious period of more 
than eleven months, trading up and down on the western coast 
of Chili, Peru and Colombia. We arrived at Chorillos on the 
28th of August, 1825 ; and it was now nearly twelve months 
that we had been in this country, and absent from our dear 
native land nearly sixteen. I felt rejoiced at the idea of leaving 
the Southern Hemisphere, and in once more pursuing our home- 
ward course, although we had still to make several thousand 
miles to the southward before we could steer towards our be- 
loved country. It was, nevertheless, the commencement of a 
homeward-bound passage. It was also true we had to double 
stormy Cape Horn, and from thence proceed to Europe ; but to 
us, who had been so long absent, sailing over distant seas, the 
delay consequent on touching at Gibraltar on our way home, 
seemed but a mere bagatelle. The moment the order was given 
by Captain Hepburn to man the windlass and loose the topsails, 
to get under way, I shall never forget with what alacrity the 
officers and men sprang to their duty : — the yards flew up aloft 
as if by magic, and in a few moments every sail was spread to 
the breeze ; joy was depicted on every countenance ; and I 
have no doubt that every heart was swelling with gratitude, 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 487 

while dwelling with fond anticipation on a joyful meeting 
with a father, mother, wife, sister, brother, or some near, be- 
loved friend, far away in the " land of the brave and the home 
of the free." There is something connected with our home and 
country that no language can precisely define ; though the feel- 
ing, perhaps, is better expressed in the following lines by Sir 
Walter Scott, than by any thing I could add on the subject : 

" Breathes there a man, with soul so dead, 
"Who never to himself "hath said, 
This is nay own, dear native land ?" 

Those who do not understand the true character of seamen, 
j udge from their rude and rough exterior, that they are callous 
and void of feeling. This is a great mistake. Any one thor- 
oughly acquainted with them knows, that beneath the often as- 
sumed bluntness of the common sailor, there frequently exists a 
fine vein of sentimental, unwritten poetry. I have often had 
occasion to witness the generous qualities of their noble hearts, 
when they are fairly dealt with and justly treated. They are 
faithful and constant even to romance, and will follow their 
leader to death, without flinching. 

I recollect once addressing the officers and crew of the 
schooner David Porter, when I was about parting with them off 
l'lle Dieu, that many of them were melted to tears ; and I have 
generally found, that when I appealed to their gratitude and 
better judgment, they were easily moved to a sense of duty. 

The above observations I wish to qualify, and of course 
except individual instances of villany and ingratitude, which 
exist among sailors as well as among other men. 

The weather was fine during the first watch, from eight 
o'clock till midnight, and no one felt much inclination to sleep. 
On the quarter-deck, the conversation ran on the length of 
time we had been on the coast, and the troubles and difficulties 
we had surmounted ; the joy we all felt at the idea of getting 
once more clear of the land and fairly started on our return 
homeward. This idea was so exciting that we felt no incli- 



488 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

* 

nation to sleep. On the forecastle the sailors were grouped to- 
gether singing appropriate old songs in fine glee, such as, 

" Come, loose every sail to the breeze, 
The course of our vessel improve, 
I've done with the toils of the seas, 
Yes, sailors, I'm bound to my love." 

During the night, the anticipated joy of getting home ab- 
sorbed every other thought, and the dread of doubling Cape 
Horn never for a moment entered our minds. To a seafaring 
man there is something delightful in a well-organized and well- 
regulated ship's company. In a good ship where every man 
does his duty, beginning with the captain, every thing goes on 
like clock-work, and its regularity gives a feeling of perfect 
security, that is only appreciated by those long accustomed to 
a sea-life. 

The weather continued fine through the night, and we made 
good progress to the southward and westward. From the day 
of our sailing, on the 12th of August, to the 23d of the same 
month, we generally had regular S. E. trades and fine, pleasant 
weather, always standing upon the same tack, laying up S. S. 
W. and falling off to S. W., making, upon an average, about 
one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty miles per log 
daily. On the 23d of August, 1826, our latitude at noon, was 
26° 40' south ; and our longitude, by an observation of the sun 
and moon, 95° 22' west. 

After getting up into about the latitude of 28° south, we 
lost the S. E. trades, and the weather gradually became cooler 
and more changeable. For the last ten or fifteen days, we had 
been sailing alone on the wide ocean. We saw not a sail, 
neither did any thing occur to break the dull monotony of the 

daily routine of making and taking in sail. Mr. , my 

assistant supercargo, and myself had been employed almost 
daily since we left Lambayeque, making out and arranging our 
accounts, and fortunately for us had been favored with very 
fine, pleasant weather; but as we increased our latitude the 
weather grew daily more and more cold and boisterous, so that on 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 489 

the 1st of September, we gave up -writing and found it ne- 
cessary to put on winter clothing, and take a great deal of ex- 
ercise on deck, not only to promote health but to keep warm, 
as we had no fire in the cabin. Our captain, his officers and 
crew had been occupied for several days past getting ready to 
buffet the gales and storms which we expected to encounter off 
Cape Horn; bending new sails, reeving new ropes, sending 
down pole, and getting up stump top-gallant-masts, lashing and 
securing every thing below and aloft, and from time to time ex- 
ercising and drilling the crew by reefing and taking in sail, so 
that when we encountered the violent storms and tempests that 
prevail in these wild regions, we should not be caught by sur- 
prise. Since we left the trade winds, we had been favored 
with strong breezes from the northward and westward, and 
made great progress on our course ; though our ship was almost 
full of cocoa, bark and other articles of merchandise, and rather 
deeply laden, still she sailed fast and worked well, and we had 
an excellent set of men, active and willing at all times to do 
their duty. On Saturday, September 9th, we were in latitude 
58° 13' south; longitude, by an observation of the sun and 
moon, 77° 53' west. At noon this day, we were a little over 
two degrees to the southward, and say ten and a half degrees 
to the westward of Cape Horn, and thus far had had no severe 
gales nor any remarkably bad weather, which is a rare circum- 
stance in these high latitudes. 

A degree of longitude where we now were, is only about 
thirty miles, consequently when we had fresh and fair gales, 
we made great strides on the chart, so that on Monday, Septem- 
ber 11th, we had fairly doubled Cape Horn, without meeting 
with the smallest accident. For once in my life, I am happy to 
say, I have passed Cape Horn with a constant succession of fine 
westerly winds, and without storm or tempest. We stood on 
our homeward-bound course to the northward and eastward 
with favorable gales, without seeing land or strand, and had 
seen, I think, but two sail since we left Lambayeque. 

On the 17th of September, we found ourselves at noon, in lat- 
itude 45° 12' south ; and on that evening at 7h. 44' 44", by an 
observation of the moon and the star Aquila, were in longitude 



490 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEKNOK CLINTON. 

45° 25' west of Greenwich. We were now only thirty-six days 
out from Lambayeque, and had proceeded well on our passage 
without any accident or mishap to mar our bright anticipations 
of a short and agreeable passage to Gibraltar. From this time 
to the 6th of October, that is to say, for a period of eighteen or 
twenty days, we occasionally saw a sail at a distance, but spoke 
nothing. "We generally had favorable winds, and no severe gales 
to contend with. Having got down into lower latitudes, we 

found the weather fine and pleasant. Mr. and myself 

again resumed the arrangement of our accounts, namely, mak- 
ing out account-sales, and adjusting every thing pertaining to 
the sale of the outward cargo, and to the purchase of the cocoa, 
etc. etc. 

While on the coast of Peru, Chili and Colombia, we kept a 
sales book and memorandums of all the articles sold, and to 
whom they belonged, also of all charges on the ship and cargo 
with disbursements of every kind, letter books, and copies of 
every letter and document of any consequence during the whole 
period of our remaining on the western coast of South America ; 
consequently we were now enabled, from these papers, to ad- 
just and apportion every charge and arrange every thing in the 
true spirit of justice and equity ; and before we got down to the 
equinoctial line, the whole labor of this part of the voyage was 
completed, so that on our return every paper was ready to hand 
in to our employers. 

On Friday, Oct. 6th, we found ourselves in latitude 26° 12' 
S., and by a good observation of the sun and moon, in longitude 
23° 17' 6" west of Greenwich. We were now steering to the 
northward with a fine S. E. trade wind and remarkably agreea- 
ble weather, and approaching a most delightful region of the 
earth. I believe I have before remarked on a former voyage, 
that I found this part of the south Atlantic a charming sea to 
navigate, namely, from the equator to as high up as say 20° to 
25° south. In these latitudes the S. E. trade winds generally 
prevail all the year, with beautiful, clear skies, both night and 
day. The air is so perfectly pure and serene, that at night the 
heavens appear more thickly studded with stars than any por- 
tion of the earth I have ever visited. The temperature is gen- 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 491 

erally about 70° to 75° Fahrenheit's thermometer, which is 
neither too hot nor too cold : even the birds and flying fish seem 
to enjoy these mild seas and clear skies ; for here are seen in- 
numerable flocks, both of birds and fish, sporting about, appa- 
rently happy in both elements. The air is so elastic and easy 
to respire, that I always felt refreshed and invigorated by in- 
haling it, and mentally exclaimed, that if a small island were 
planted and peopled in this region, its inhabitants would never 
die except with old age. 1 say a small island, for it is always 
conceded that small sea islands are more healthy than large 
ones, particularly where there are forests and stagnant pools to 
poison the atmosphere. We continued to sail from day to day 
through these delightful regions, with all sail set below and 
aloft, generally making from 180 to 200 miles per day, scarcely 
changing or shifting a single sail. 

On Saturday, Oct. 14th, 1826, our latitude at noon was 18° 
50' south ; and in the evening of the same day, at 8h. 10' the 
longitude by an observation of the moon and the star Antares, 
was 23° 50' west. From this time to Oct. 19th, that is, for five 
consecutive days, we continued to have the same winds with a 
continuation of fine weather. But when we got down near the 
equinoctial line, the winds became light and baffling, with 
showers of rain and dark, cloudy weather. "We crossed the 
line in about the longitude of 26° west, and on Saturday, Oct. 
21st at noon, were by observation, in latitude 3° 0' north of the 
Equator. At 9h. 3' a. m., by a good observation of the sun and 
moon, we found the ship in longitude 28° 23' 0" west of Green- 
wich. "We were now only seventy days from Lambayeque, and 
had already crossed the Equator without losing a single sail or 
spar ; and thus far had been highly favored with fair winds. 
All on board were in the enjoyment of perfect health. 

On Monday, Oct. 23d, we fell in with, and spoke an English 
ship from Singapore, bound to London. The wind being light, 
and the weather fine, the captain of the English ship politely 
invited our captain, myself and my assistant supercargo, to come 
on board his ship, and take a social glass of wine with him and 
his supercargo ; and, as both ships were steering the same course, 
we accepted his friendly invitation, and repaired forthwith on 



492 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

board, without further ceremony. We exchanged several small 
articles with these polite, gentlemanly men ; we supplied them 
with cocoa, and received tea and other little articles in return. 
They also presented us with several English and East India 
newspapers. We gave them some North American and Peru- 
vian papers, and, notwithstanding they were all rather old, the 
exchange was agreeable to both parties, and we were mutually 
rejoiced to meet with any pleasant incident to break the dull 
monotony of a long sea voyage. Those unacquainted- with long 
passages, cannot realize the gratification it affords to see a 
strange face, and hear the news, and learn what is going on in 
the world, after having been, as it were, shut out from all inter- 
course with our fellow-men for a long period of time. 

The captain of the English ship of which I have spoken, had 
on board a large family of monkeys — I should judge some twen- 
ty or thirty in number, some large and others small. He con- 
fined them in cages during the night and in bad weather, but 
when it was fine, allowed them to run loose about the decks. 
It was very amusing to see these animals chase each other up 
and down the rigging, and in their merry gambols cut up all 
manner of monkey tricks. The captain and supercargo told us 
that it had been a great source of amusement to them, during 
the passage, to see these mischievous animals play up and down 
the masts and rigging, whenever they were favored with fine 
weather. 

After partaking of a friendly repast and some excellent old 
wine, a breeze sprung up, and we took our leave of these polite 
gentlemen, and repaired on board our ship, when we separated, 
never to meet again. I regret that this leaf of my journal is so 
mutilated, that I can neither make out the name of the ship, nor 
of the captain and supercargo. 

Tuesday, October 24£A. — At noon, we were in latitude 8° 6' 
north of the Equator, and, by a good observation of the sun and 
moon, in longitude 26° 40' west of Greenwich. 

We continued on our course to the northward, from the 
24th of October until the 9th of November — a space of sixteen 
days — without meeting with any incident worth recording. On 
this day, however, November 9th, when nearly in the latitude 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 493 

of Madeira, we fell in with and boarded the hermaphrodite brig 
Parmelia, Captain John Jordan, belonging to Boston. She was 
thirty days out from Marseilles, bound for Philadelphia, loaded 
with brimstone, fruit, etc. Captain Jordan politely took charge 
of all the letters and packages we wished to send home ; and as 
we had now got all our account-sales and other important pa- 
pers ready, we embraced this opportunity to send to our em- 
ployers a copy of all accounts and transactions up to this date, 
with a few hasty letters to our friends. These were all inclosed 
in two packages, and directed to Messrs. N. L. &. G. Griswold, 
and Benjamin L. Swan, Esq., in New York. I subsequently 
learned that these letters and documents all arrived safely. 
"We were now in latitude 32° north, and longitude 36° west. 

After this we pushed on towards Gibraltar, where we arrived 
on the 27th of November, 1826, after a pleasant passage of one 
hundred and seven days. At this place I employed Horatio 
Sprague, Esq., to assist me in the management of my business. 
I found here waiting our arrival quite a number of letters from 
my owners, and several from my family and friends. 

I was rejoiced to learn that my family were well, and very 
much gratified at receiving letters from my employers, approv- 
ing of my conduct in the management of their ship and cargo ; 
they also kindly assured me that I had their entire confidence ; 
and after quoting prices of cocoa and bark in the United States, 
left me to decide whether it would be for their interest to dis- 
pose of my cargo in Gibraltar and Cadiz, or to return direct to 
New York ; and I now felt that these kind letters from my 
owners more than recompensed me for all the care, anxiety and 
trouble I had experienced during this long voyage. I believe 
I have ever been willing to exert myself to my uttermost capa- 
city for promoting the interest of my employers and friends ; 
and when this is accomplished, and my services are appreciated, 
I feel richly rewarded. 

I was also once more extremely gratified at meeting my old 
and worthy friend, Horatio Sprague ; he befriended me in the 
hour of trial, when I made my escape from Gibraltar, during 
our war with England, in 1814. 

At that time I resided at his house in Alsreciras, for several 



494: VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

weeks, and was always treated by Mr. S. and his family like a 
brother ; and now, after twelve years had elapsed, I found him 
the same kind, benevolent man ; and I think it would be diffi- 
cult to find one more worthy. During our sojourn in this place, 
I dined almost daily at his house, and spent my evenings in 
the society of his estimable wife and family, where I was 
always sure of meeting the best and most intelligent persons in 
Gibraltar. 

In the midst of all the happiness I felt at getting glad 
tidings from home, and the pleasure of meeting old friends in 
Gibraltar, my joy was suddenly damped by an unexpected and 
sad communication, and I mentally said, there is certainly no 
perfect bliss in this life. Here we meet with light and darkness, 
sunshine and shade ; for, among my other letters, there was one 
from George Griswold, Esq., by which I learned that our mu- 
tual friend, the Rev. S. S. Woodhull, was no more. He died in 
March, 1 826, of typhus fever, after ten days' illness, leaving a 
widow and five children to mourn their irreparable loss, of a 
good husband and a devoted father. 

He was a kind friend and neighbor for many years, and I 
was deeply grieved at the news of his death. I felt that an 
excellent pastor and a devout and useful Christian had left the 
world. 

The Messrs. Griswold sent me introductory letters to their 
friends and correspondents in Cadiz, to the respectable house 
of Mrs. Widow Roberts & Co. of that place, requesting me to 
write them on the subject of disposing of my cargo in that 
city, and also what was the prospect of obtaining a freight or 
charter for the Governor Clinton to the western coast of Chili 
and Peru. 

I accordingly wrote as directed by my owners, and in about 
a week received a polite letter from that house, stating that 
they could not advise me to proceed to Cadiz, as the market 
was low and dull for cocoa, and that there was no sale at all for 
bark ; neither was there any prospect of obtaining a charter for 
the Pacific Ocean, and concluded their letter by remarking that 
they were sorry to say the trade to their city had, in a measure, 
disappeared. 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVEENOR CLINTON. 495 

On the reception of this letter, Mr. Sprague and myself 
strove to dispose of the cargo of the Governor Clinton, even 
upon terms of gaining only a moderate freight on the cocoa 
and bark, and after a fair trial of ten days, we relinquished the 
idea of selling it, and concluded to take on board what little 
freight we could obtain, and get ready for sea. As I have, on 
a former voyage, when brought here as a prisoner in 1814, 
given a sketch of the location of Gibraltar, its ample bay, etc., 
I deem it unnecessary to say any more on this subject. After 
lying here fifteen days, we took leave of our kind friends on the 
12th of December, and sailed out of the bay, bound to New 
York ; we ran out through the Straits with a fine Levanter, 
and got clear of the land the next day. It being now in the 
depth of winter, we concluded to push down to the southward, 
and run to the westward in the N. E. trade winds. For about 
six days after leaving port, we were favored with fresh and fair 
breezes, so that in a week we passed to the westward of the 
Canary Islands, and although we soon got into the N. E. trade 
winds, we found them so light and bafiling, that we made but 
slow progress on our passage. "When we had got as far to the 
westward as longitude 68°, we hauled to the northward, where 
we met with strong N. "W". gales, and did not get to New York 
until the 31st January, 1827, after a long and disagreeable pas- 
sage of forty-nine days, and from the time of leaving New York, 
until we returned to it again, was one year, nine months and fif- 
teen days. We were, of course, all rejoiced at once more land- 
ing on our dear native soil. The joy of meeting one's family 
and friends after so long an absence, is more easily felt than de- 
scribed. 

The winters of 1826 and 1827 were extremely cold. At 
the time we landed all the rivers were frozen up, and there 
was much floating ice in the bay and harbor of New York, 
and it was with great risk and difficulty we got from Sandy 
Hook to the city with the ship, on account of the immense 
fields of floating ice. As soon as she was secured to the 
wharf, Captain Hepburn discharged the crew, and I left the 
owners to look after their ship and cargo. We soon settled 
our accounts to the satisfaction of all parties concerned in the 



496 VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 

voyage. Captain Hepburn, Mr. and myself, received a 

warm-hearted welcome and much kind hospitality from our em- 
ployers. 

Captain H. soon got the command of a large ship, called 
the Beaver, in the Canton trade, and sailed on the 14th of Feb- 
ruary for that place. The mate of the Governor Clinton was 
promoted to the command of that ship, and soon sailed on a 
freighting voyage to Liverpool. On her return from that port, 
the Messrs. Griswold again fitted her out for the Pacific, under 
the command of our late mate, Mr. L. B. Griswold, and em- 
ployed my young friend, Mr. , as supercargo, to perform 

another trading voyage to the western coast of Chili and Peru, 
so that we were soon separated, perhaps never to meet again in 
this changeable world. 

I found Benjamin L. Swan, Esq., uniformly hospitable, polite 
and friendly, and, in a word, a perfect gentleman. 

Subsequently to this voyage, I owned a freighting ship, 
with the Messrs. Griswold, and had many business transactions 
with them, and for more than twenty years enjoyed the gen- 
erous hospitality of these gentlemen. I have ever found them 
strictly honest, just and liberal; and during our long acquaint- 
ance, nothing ever occurred to mar our friendly relations. 
Theirs is a house of long standing, and belongs to that class of 
merchants who have done so much to enrich and build up our 
great commercial emporium. 

The pataca of plata-pina lost overboard at Lambayeque,, 
belonged to me, and contained ten pieces ; it weighed two hun- 
dred and fifty-five marks, and cost eight dollars and a half per 
mark, which together with some other trifling shipping char- 
ges, amounted to two thousand one hundred and sixty-seven 
dollars. 

This property was insured in the American and Union Insu- 
rance Companies in this city. "When I presented my claim for 
indemnity, they refused to pay it, alleging that they were not 
liable for accidents in boats and lighters, but only for property 
on board of the ship. After waiting a reasonable time for the 
amount of my loss, I employed Messrs. Strong and Griffin, as 
advocates, to prosecute the suit in law. After a delay of two 



VOYAGE IN THE SHIP GOVERNOR CLINTON. 497 

years and four months, I gained the cause, and recovered the 
money, with seven per cent, interest. 

This was an important decision in maritime law, and clearly 
determined the principle, that underwriters are liable for all 
losses from boats and lighters on trading voyages, even when 
not expressed in the policies. In my opinion it was a most 
righteous decision, otherwise there would be no safety in trad- 
ing to many parts of the world, where boats and balsas are in- 
dispensable. 



32 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, SANTA CEUZ, AND PORTO 
RICO, IN THE YEARS 1830 AND 1831. 

At this period I had an only sister, who was in bad health, and 
as she was rapidly declining, I decided to remove her to a more 
congenial climate to spend the approaching winter ; and in 
order to have an independent and convenient conveyance, I 
purchased a small schooner of 80 tons, to sail with her among 
the West India islands. This schooner was called the Julia and 
Laura, and when equipped and ready for sea, cost me but 
$1200. On board of this little vessel I shipped an assorted car- 
go of flour, provisions and other articles, suitable for the "West 
India market, and appointed Captain Richard Hepburn, of Mil- 
ford, to command her : he was an experienced navigator and a 
worthy, efficient man. The invoice of the whole cargo amount- 
ed to twenty-five hundred dollars. After she was loaded, I 
feared my sister would not be comfortable on board so small a 
vessel, in our boisterous climate. Though well adapted to sail 
about the islands in the West Indies, she would doubtless be 
very wet and uncomfortable in our high, northern latitude. I 
accordingly dispatched the Julia and Laura for St. Bartholo- 
mew, and as the brig Lawrence was then loading for that place, 
I concluded to take passage in her with my sister. I had 
directed Capt. H. to proceed to his port of destination, dispose 
of such parts of his cargo as would pay a fair profit, and there 
wait for me, and that I should probably meet him in that port 
in about a week or ten days after his arrival. 

Captain Hepburn had, besides his own crew, about half a 



SANTA CKUZ AND PORTO KICO. 499 

dozen passengers. The next day after he sailed, he encountered 
a tremendous gale of wind from the N. W. and "W. 1ST. "W., 
which continued to blow with great violence for three days. 
During the whole gale, the little schooner scudded before the 
wind under the head of a foresail, and met with no loss except 
some trifling articles which were washed from off her decks. I 
was told the Captain, who was a thorough-bred seaman, steered 
the little schooner through the whole of the tempest himself. 
Several vessels, that sailed the same day from New York and 
Philadelphia, were either lost or dismasted. The ship Governor 
Clinton, Captain David Hepburn (nephew of the Captain of the 
Julia and Laura) sailed the same day, bound round Cape 
Horn to Chili and Peru, lost several spars, and was so severely 
handled that she was forced to return to New York to repair 
damages. The next day after the gale, Capt. H., of the Gov. . 
Clinton, picked up a seaman from off a piece of the wreck of a 
vessel that sailed from the Capes of the Delaware on the 8th of 
December, and this poor fellow was the only soul saved from 
the whole crew, eight or nine in number ; and strange as it may 
appear, this was the second time the same man had survived an 
entire crew that were drowned in a similar way. The Gov. 
Clinton was so much damaged in her hull, sails and rigging, 
that they were obliged to discharge her whole cargo, and I be- 
lieve a large portion of it was badly injured, so that it occupied 
some weeks to refit and repair damages, before she was again 
ready for sea. Great anxiety was felt for the fate of the little 
Julia and Laura, and many believed that she must have perish- 
ed in the gale. 

On the 28th of December I embarked with my sister on 
board the brig Lawrence, Capt. Dexter, and on the same day, 
with a fair wind and fine weather, we sailed from New York, 
bound for St. Bartholomew. The Lawrence was a good, new 
vessel, about 200 tons burthen, and sailed remarkably fast. She 
was owned by Mr. Charles Morgan, of New York, who took 
passage with us in the capacity of supercargo. He was a kind, 
gentlemanly man, and a very agreeable passenger. 

I took with me as a small capital to trade upon during the 
winter, one hundred and thirty doubloons, either to invest in 



500 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

West India produce or in any other way that should promise a 
favorable result. 

During the first week out, we had strong winds and a rough 
sea, which made my poor sister and Mr. Morgan very sea-sick ; 
but, as we were the only passengers on board, and had plenty 
of room and good fare, we got along very well after the first two 
or three days. 

Our Captain belonged to Mattapoisett, Mass. ; he was a 
good seaman, and a kind, obliging man ; was always polite and 
attentive to his passengers. 

After getting fairly off the coast, we soon fell in with the K. 
E. trade-winds, and had fine weather during the remainder of 
the voyage, and on the 9th of January we arrived at St. Barts, 
after a passage of twelve days, without any remarkable occur- 
rence. Before entering the port, I was intensely anxious to as- 
certain whether the Julia and Laura had arrived, when, on 
doubling a point of rocks, so that we could look into the harbor, 
I was rejoiced to see the little schooner riding quietly at anchor, 
with her ensign set to welcome our arrival ; for it appeared that 
Capt. H. had caught sight of our brig, and displayed his colors, 
as it were, in triumph, after having survived the tempest in 
which so many vessels were lost or dismasted. 

I was happy to find Capt. Hepburn had disposed of nearly 
all his cargo at saving prices. I remained here three days, just 
long enough to give my sister an opportunity of seeing the 
island and its inhabitants. In the year 1809 I came here in the 
brig Henry and Isabella, and afterwards in the schooner Iris, 
in 1817. I then gave a little sketch of this rocky island and its 
inhabitants, and as there has been but very little alteration in 
the place since that period, I shall make but few remarks on 
the subject. Happily, my sister was very much benefited by 
the passage and change of climate, and able to walk about and 
enjoy the bold scenery of this barren island ; although it is not 
rich and fertile, it is, nevertheless, interesting to a stranger for 
a few days. Its high cliffs, deep dells, and general rugged 
character, are very attractive, particularly to those just landed 
from a sea voyage, where there is nothing for the eye to rest 
upon save sky and water ; and then there is a novelty in the 



SANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 501 

scene to one who has never visited foreign lands, even if that 
land is rocky and barren. We saw innumerable wild flowers 
growing about in every direction, even in the crevices of the 
rocky cliffs. Many of them were of bright and gorgeous colors, 
and altogether different from those we were accustomed to see 
at home. I met here several of my old friends, whom I had 
known on my former voyages, and both my sister and myself 
were kindly and hospitably entertained during our stay at the 
island. After taking leave of our friends, we embarked on 
board the Julia and Laura in the evening of the 13th of 
January, and sailed for St. Thomas. It is the general custom 
here with vessels that are bound down to St. Croix or St. 
Thomas, to sail out of the harbor at six or eight o'clock in the 
evening, and with the 1ST. E. trade-winds which constantly pre- 
vail, they run down to the westward all night under easy sail, 
and arrive at the before-named islands the next morning at 
eight or nine o'clock. This was our case, we arrived off the 
harbor the next morning, and at ten a. m. came to anchor, after 
a pleasant passage of sixteen hours. 

I sold the remainder of the cargo of the Julia and Laura 
here the next day after our arrival, and purchased 156 bags of 
cofl'ee, weighing about 17,000 pounds. We then took on board 
sufficient stone-ballast, with provisions and water, for a voyage 
to Savannah. I also supplied Capt. H. with one thousand dol- 
lars in specie, with directions to touch at Rum Key,, one of the 
Bahamas, there purchase a cargo of salt for that place, on his ar- 
rival to dispose of his coffee and salt, and there purchase a return 
cargo of rice, provisions, and lumber, suitable for Martinique 
and Guadaloupe. Before sailing on his voyage, however, I re- 
quested him to proceed over to the west end of St. Croix, and 
there land my sister and myself. And thus, after remaining at 
St. Thomas five days, we left it in the evening of the 19th of 
January, and got over to St. Croix early the next morning, 
where we soon landed, and dispatched Capt. H. for Rum Key. 

At this place I took board and lodgings for myself and sister, 
with a Mrs. Boyal, a widow lady : at her house were living sev- 
eral American ladies and gentlemen, mostly invalids from the 
Northern States. Among the number were Mr. R. C. D. and 



502 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

lady, Mr. F. and Mr. Q-. B., all from Boston. There were also 
a Mr. L. L. from Yermont, and Captain David Rogers and his 
wife, from New York. 

In another family, about two or three miles further in the 
interior of the island, were boarding the Rev. Doctor "W. E. 
Channing, of Boston, with his wife and two children, a son and 
daughter. The above named ladies and gentlemen were all 
intelligent, polite and well-bred people ; as we were all upon 
good terms with each other, we were enabled to form little so- 
cial and agreeable parties among ourselves. Besides the pleas- 
ant society of our own countrymen, we found many of the in- 
habitants of the island polite and hospitable. St. Croix, or 
Santa Cruz, is a fine little island belonging to Denmark. It lies 
in lat. 17° 40' north, long. 64° 56' west. Its extreme length is 
about twenty-five or thirty miles lying east and west, its breadth 
about ten to fifteen north and south. It has a soft, mild and 
very equal climate, and is well cultivated. In many places one 
sees the sugar cane growing almost to the summit of the moun- 
tains. It is of a moderate height, though some of the hills or 
small mountains in the interior of the island are rather high, 
perhaps the highest of them may be a thousand or fifteen hun- 
dred feet above the level of the sea. Here I speak without au- 
thority, having no books at hand to refer to. At this period I 
was told the island contained about three thousand five hun- 
dred white inhabitants, and about eighteen or twenty thousand 
negroes and mulattoes, the greater portion of whom are slaves. 
Almost the entire productions of the island consist in sugar, rum 
and molasses. An average crop of sugar is from 25 to 30,000 
hogsheads, all made on one hundred and fifty estates or planta- 
tions. There are two considerable towns on the island ; the larg- 
est is called Christianstadt, and has a good harbor located near 
the east end of the island on the north side. The other town, 
where we resided, is called Frederickstadt, and lies on a consid- 
erable bay at its west end ; and when the regular trade-winds 
prevail, this bay forms a good port, but during the hurricane 
months, it is dangerous lying at anchor here. 

There is a good, broad carriage road between the two towns, 
and the distance is about eighteen miles. Strangers who visit 



SANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 503 

this island for health, or for commercial purposes, are generally 
very much pleased with it for a few weeks, but after visiting 
the sugar estates and riding over the island, there is little else 
to be seen. There is such a uniform sameness in the sugar 
plantations, that after visiting a few of them, one can form a 
pretty good opinion of the whole ; and as there are no public 
amusements to break the dull monotony, a stranger finds it ex- 
tremely tiresome after a few weeks' residence, and soon begins 
to sigh for a change of scene, and wider field for thought and 
action. After my sister became acquainted with her inmates, 
and was comfortably lodged with Mrs. B., I left St. Croix on 
the 31st of January, in the packet-boat sloop Blossom, and had 
a pleasant passage of nine hours to St. Thomas. 

The price of the passage over was two dollars and fifty cents. 
On my arrival at St. Thomas, I took board and lodgings with a 
Mrs. Kelly, a respectable widow lady. She was a native of the 
place, and kept one of the best lodging houses on the island. I 
was now thrown almost entirely among merchants of different 
nations, and generally found them polite. 

To assist me in my commercial business, I employed Messrs. 
Reed, Whitmore and Davis. Although residents of this place, 
they were all natives of Massachusetts, and were very honest, 
correct men and good merchants. After making all my ar- 
rangements for commercial operations with these gentlemen, I 
resolved to revisit Porto Rico, and for that purpose took passage 
in the American brig Emmet, Captain Brown, for St. Johns. 
This vessel was loaded with lumber, and belonged to Portland, 
State of Maine. We left St. Thomas on the 3d of February, 
and had a pleasant passage of twenty- four hours down to St. 
Johns. Por my passage, I paid four dollars, and found Captain 
B., a kind, obliging man. 

Before leaving St. Thomas, I paid to the public authorities 
four dollars for a passport to leave the island, which I think is 
unjust extortion, and an arbitrary imposition practised upon 
strangers, who may chance to visit their island. I had letters 
of introduction to several gentlemen in St. Johns, and a par- 
ticular one to the American Consul, Sidney Mason, Esq., whom 
I found to be a good merchant, and a very honest, worthy man. 



504: VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

On landing at the city of St. Johns, I went directly to the cus- 
tom-honse, where, after showing my passport and having my 
baggage examined, I took board and lodging in an uncomforta- 
ble posada (I believe the only one worth noticing in the town). 
I soon sallied ont to deliver my letters of introduction, and take 
a look at the city. San Juan de Porto Rico is the principal 
seaport, and the capital city of this island. It lies in lat. 18° 
29' north, long. 66° 13' west of Greenwich. The town lies along 
the east side of the harbor, is strongly fortified, and contains 
twenty-eight or thirty thousand inhabitants, one-third of which, 
I should judge, are white, and the others negroes and mulattoes. 
The town is located on rising ground, and being pleasantly situ- 
ted on a declivity, is well drained and kept clean. This cause 
and its proximity to the sea render it one of the most healthy 
places in the "West Indies. The streets all cross each other at 
right angles, the houses are mostly built of stone, and have gen- 
erally a respectable appearance. Some of the public buildings 
are large, the Bishop's palace, and the Seminary. The Royal 
Military Hospital is also spacious, and, it is said, will accommo- 
date from three hundred and fifty to four hundred patients. 

They have here a handsome theatre, a town-house, with a 
magnificent public hall, and several convents. The Cathedral 
is large, but not well finished. There are several other churches, 
also a large arsenal, and a convenient custom-house. The en- 
trance of the harbor is very like the Havana, being only 
eighteen hundred feet wide, with its Moro Castle and strong 
fortifications on two small islands opposite to the castle, at the 
western entrance of the port. After passing these forts at the 
mouth of the harbor, it opens into a spacious basin, varying in 
depth from five to seven fathoms of water, where the shipping 
is well protected, and safe from all winds. When I arrived 
here, there were lying in the port about twenty-five or thirty 
sail of ships, brigs, and schooners, ten of which were American, 
the others of different nations. While strolling over the high, 
broad walls and massive fortifications around this city, I was 
forcibly struck with their strong resemblance to those of the 
Havana; the immense walls of solid mason-work to protect it 
from the ravages of the ocean, with its fortifications and brist- 



SANTA CKUZ AND PORTO EICO. 505 

ling batteries on every side, remind one of the wealth, power, 
and greatness of Old Spain, at the period when these great 
works were constructed. They must have cost many millions 
of dollars, and call vividly to mind what that nation was under 
the reigns of Charles the Fifth, and Philip the Second, when 
its cavalry was the terror of all Europe. From this high emi- 
nence one is led to trace the gradual decline of this old nation 
down to the present day, for it forcibly portrays the end of all 
human greatness, and creates a strong feeling of sympathy for 
a fallen nation, even if its history has, occasionally, been stained 
with bloodshed and injustice, and causes one to exclaim in the 
language of King David, " Alas, how are the mighty fallen ! " 
During my stay here, there was a grand civic and military ball 
given by the city, in honor of a new Governor who had recent- 
ly arrived here from Spain. 

Mr. Mason, the American Consul, married a native of this 
city. Mrs. M. was an accomplished, sociable lady, and had a 
handsome maiden sister ; they were both agreeable and well- 
bred persons, but spoke not a word of English : with this family 
I was invited to attend the ball. It took place in a spacious 
hall where was a numerous assemblage of ladies and gentlemen ; 
in fine, all the elite of the town was there, and many of the la- 
dies were very pretty and graceful. In this warm climate there 
is not so much of the lily and the rose to embellish the faces of 
the softer sex, as is seen in the north of Europe, or the United 
States, still there is often much beauty in the bright, black eye, 
and glossy, jet black hair, of the graceful brunette of the West 
Indies. The music was good, and the refreshments were abun- 
dant and served up in good taste ; in truth it was a splendid 
affair, and went off in a happy, agreeable manner, everybody 
appearing pleased and delighted. I will here observe there are 
touching strains in Spanish music, exciting feelings of romantic 
melancholy, which are extremely poetic, and always awaken in 
my breast a thrill of sensibility that no other music can pro- 
duce. I was always kindly received, and treated with much 
friendly hospitality by Mr. Mason and his agreeable family dur- 
ing my stay here, for which I was very grateful ; for had I not 



506 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

met with them, I should have fared very badly at the miserable 
posada in which I was lodged. 

I next visited all the lions of the place, among which was 
shown me a small stone bnil ding said to have been built for, 
and occupied by, the great discoverer, Columbus. Be this as 
it may, it had a very ancient appearance, and was somewhat 
dilapidated. 

. I also visited several of the sugar plantations in the vicinity 
of the city, and not having any thing of importance to prolong 
my stay, on the 8th of February I took leave of my friends, and 
embarked on board the Baltimore schooner Cadmus, Captain 
Horsford, bound for Aguadilla. We left St. Johns at six in the 
evening, and after running down along shore all night, arrived 
at Aguadilla the next morning at eight o'clock, having had a 
pleasant passage of fourteen hours. I found Captain Horsford a 
polite, friendly man. For my passage, I paid four dollars. 

Aguadilla is a disagreeable-looking little place, lying along 
the sand-beach close to the sea. The town appeared small, 
though I was informed it and its vicinity contained about 5,000 
inhabitants, including white, black and yellow. Mr. Mason 
gave me letters to several mercantile gentlemen residing here ; 
they treated me politely, and informed me that during the last 
year there had been exported from this little seaport about 
30,000 quintals of coffee, 1,500 hogsheads of sugar, and 5,000 
ox-hides. I remained at Aguadilla three days, and then took 
passage on board a small coasting craft of 15 tons, bound to 
Mayaguez. 

The distance between the two places is only twenty-five 
miles, still we were twenty-four hours in making the trip. I 
paid three dollars for my passage, furnished my own stores, and 
had bad accommodations. 

At Mayaguez I took board and lodgings in a French family, 
whom I found very sociable, good people. I had letters to 
several individuals residing at this place, among others, one to 
Mr. Forester, a French gentleman, and one to Mr. S., a German, 
both of whom I found intelligent and hospitable. The town of 
Mayaguez is located near the west end of the island, say about 
a mile from the port or landing. It contains about 7,000 in- 



SANTA CEUZ AND P0ET0 EICO. 507 

habitants of every variety of color. I should think, however, 
that the greater portion were negroes and mulattoes. The port 
of Mayaguez lies at the head of a fine bay on the extreme west 
end of the island, and is safe from all winds except gales from 
the westward, which never occur except in the hurricane months 
of July, August and September. There is a considerable vil- 
lage located near the sand-beach, which contains perhaps a 
thousand souls of a mixed breed of different races. The annual 
exports from this place are about as follows : 60,000 quintals of 
coffee, 8,000 to 10,000 hogsheads of sugar, several cargoes of 
molasses, and 8,000 or 10,000 ox-hides. The land about the 
west end of this island is generally pretty level, very fertile and 
productive. The eastern people from^he States of Massachu- 
setts and Maine, brought lumber here, received their pay in 
molasses, and appeared in a great measure to monopolize that 
branch of commerce ; while the Baltimoreans purchased the 
greatest part of their coffee and supplied them with flour. 
There have been imported, into the little bays of this part of 
Porto Kico within the last two months, three small cargoes of 
African slaves, say about 500 in number, men, women and 
children. I saw the remnant of these cargoes for sale in three 
enclosures. The best looking and most healthy of these misera- 
ble beings, had been sold to the planters and removed to their 
estates ; the remainder were extremely thin and sickly, and 
were selling at very reduced prices. There was a little stream 
of fresh water near where these slaves were kept, and in this lit- 
tle river they were made to bathe daily ; if they showed any re- 
luctance to go into the water, they were driven in like cattle. 
They had some rude instruments of music, such as banjoes and 
large gourd-shells with strings, which made a rude, tinkling 
noise ; on these instruments they were encouraged to play, sing- 
ing and dancing at the same time to keep up their spirits. The 
venders of these negroes told me it was absolutely necessary to 
keep them in a good-natured mood, otherwise they would get 
the sulks, refuse all kind of food, and die with starvation. 

Although the sight of these poor, unfortunate beings creates 
a melancholy feeling in the breast of a stranger, still there are 
circumstances connected with it that are so ludicrous, that they 



508 VOYAGE TO 8T. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

produce an involuntary smile even in the midst of this dark 
scene of degraded humanity. For example, at these depots, two 
large and healthy-looking negroes are selected, and made to 
stand erect outside the gate as a sign to indicate to the planters 
that slaves are sold here. The price of negroes at this time was 
about as follows : children of five or six years old, 100 dollars 
each ; and what are here called prime slaves, that is, stout, healthy 
men or women, from eighteen to twenty-five years old, were 
worth 250 to 350 dollars each. They are generally retailed to 
the planters, and taken in small or large numbers as the case 
may be. At the time I visited this island, there were so many ob- 
structions to the African slave-trade that the owners of large 
vessels dared not risk sending them, and were therefore in the 
habit of employing small, fast-sailing pilot-boat schooners, to 
elude the vigilance of the men-of-war of different nations who 
were striving to prevent this inhuman traffic. These pilot-boats 
carried from 150 to 200 of these poor creatures, and when chased 
by men-of-war, they crammed them all below deck to avoid de- 
tection ; so also in bad weather they were all forced below to 
escape being washed overboard. 

In hot climates like those between Africa and these islands, 
to confine human beings under deck, where all must suffer, and 
many of them die with suffocation, is barbarous in the extreme. 
I was desirous of seeing as much of the island as my short stay 
would allow, for which purpose I rode daily on horseback to 
most of the coffee and sugar estates for many miles around 
Mayaguez, and after remaining here a few days, decided to 
leave it and proceed to the eastward. There being no public 
conveyances, I was obliged to hire a guide and two horses to 
convey myself and baggage from this place to Ponce, a seaport 
situated on the south side of the island, the distance by land be- 
ing about twenty leagues. My guide was highly recommended 
to me by my friends here as an honest, good-natured fellow. 
Those who travel on this island, generally start a few hours be- 
fore daylight, and ride in the cool of the morning and evening, 
lie by in the middle of the day, and by this means avoid the in- 
tense heat of the noonday's sun. After having made every ar- 
rangement for the journey, I settled my bills, took leave of my 



SANTA CRUZ AND POKTO EICO. 509 

friends, and agreed that my guide should call for me at 3 
o'clock in the morning, two hours before daylight, on the 16th 
of February. 

At the hour appointed, my faithful guide knocked at my 
door, and said he was ready to start on the journey. He took 
my trunk and fastened it on the back of his horse, and then in- 
quired whether I was well armed. I answered him that I had 
only a small pocket-pistol and a dirk, which he said would do. 
He showed me a large stiletto and a machete, and said they had 
been of great service to him in many trying scenes. We then 
mounted our horses, and thus placing myself under the care 
and protection of a man I had never seen until the day before, 
left Mayaguez. We travelled on in perfect silence for at least 
an hour, and when I spoke, my guide said in a whisper, " Please 
be silent until we get fairly clear of all danger." I passively 
obeyed him to the letter of the injunction ; he soon conducted 
me through wild and deep ravines, overrun with trees and 
bushes, along footpaths where the sky was darkened by the 
deep shade of luxuriant foliage ; and after passing through the 
ravines, we ascended by a winding way up a steep hill. In 
fine, I knew not where these wild and intricate scenes would 
lead us. At length I became excited, and began to fear that 
he was leading me into ambush to murder me for my clothing 
and what little money I might have about my person. I there- 
fore cocked my pistol and kept my finger on the trigger, ready 
to blow his brains out the first moment I should discover any 
sign of treachery or bad design ; for had he made the slightest 
halt, or turned the head of his horse towards me, in my temerity 
I certainly should have shot him, in which case I should have 
regretted the rash act all the days of my life. However, I was 
soon after released from this anxious state of suspense, by get- 
ting upon a good road, and as the day began to dawn, my good 
conductor said in a loud voice, " Seiior, we are now safe and 
beyond all danger." He then stated that he had taken me a 
long, circuitous route to avoid passing through a village of very 
bad people, who, he said, were a desperate set of villains, and 
that a man not long ago had been murdered by them for a small 
sum of money. I was now convinced that I had done my 



510 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

faithful guide great injustice by my suspicions, and felt self- 
accused. Fortunately, however, the good fellow never sus- 
pected that I had entertained a single doubt of his fidelity. 
After this affair, we passed rapidly on the road towards Guaya- 
nilla. My guide was an amusing, social man, and entertained 
me with all manner of stories and adventures which he had 
seen and heard during the many years in which he had been 
employed as a guide to different parts of the island. We passed 
through two inconsiderable villages, the names of which I do 
not recollect ; and after travelling about six or seven leagues 
=froni Mayaguez, we stopped at a village called Savanna Grande, 
to take breakfast and rest our horses. My breakfast consisted 
of bread, fried eggs, and coffee ; the posadero and his wife were 
kind and obliging, but extremely ignorant. 

The country through which we had passed thus far, was un- 
dulating, and only partially cultivated, being mostly occupied 
by small planters, who generally raised cattle and horses. In 
this island there are very few hotels or taverns, and none worth 
noticing in the villages and country places ; and when a stran- 
ger travels from place to place, his friends always furnish him 
with letters of introduction to the gentlemen planters who reside 
on the road he intends to travel : this was my case ; I was fur- 
nished with letters from place to place along the road. I often 
objected to taking them where I was only going to remain one 
night, or perhaps only a few hours, and observed to the gentle- 
men who proffered them, that I felt a delicacy in presenting 
such letters, that it had the appearance of a mere order for a 
meal or a night's lodging. In answer to this, I was told it was 
the custom of the country, and that without these facilities it 
was impossible to get any thing fit to eat, or even to obtain a 
decent bed, in many parts of the island, particularly in small 
country places. 

After breakfast, we started again for Guayanilla, and at 3 
o'clock in the afternoon arrived there, and then rode down to 
the port, which is located on the south side of the island, and 
passing by and around several cane-fields, stopped at the house 
of Monsieur S., to whom I had a letter of introduction. This 
gentleman was a sugar-planter, and resided on his estate. He 



6ANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 511 

received me politely, and treated me with kindness and hospi- 
tality. Mr. S. rode with me about Guayanilla, and introduced 
me to several of his friends, and after showing me the village 
and its vicinity, we returned to his house, took supper, and re- 
tired to rest ; which I was very happy to do after a long day's 
ride of fourteen leagues on horseback. 

Guayanilla is a small, insignificant village of itself, but the 
grounds and country for several miles around it were beauti- 
fully cultivated with sugar-cane. I was told they annually ex- 
ported from this little port about 1,500 hogsheads of sugar, a 
little coffee and tobacco, and a few thousand ox-hides. 

The next day, at 2 o'clock in the morning, we started on our 
journey for Ponce. The weather was fine, and the stars bright 
and clear. On this island, where the weather is very hot, it is 
far better to travel in the night and lie by in the middle of the 
day ; we therefore commenced travelling soon after midnight, 
say 2 o'clock, and lay by from mid-day to. 3 in the afternoon, 
and then travelled on again until nightfall ; in this manner wc 
avoided the heat and dust, which are very trying to health and 
extremely disagreeable. 

At 5 a. m. we passed through the village of Tiabo, and at 
half-past 7 in the morning got safe to Ponce. Here I took up 
my abode with Monsieur Garrus, a French merchant residing 
at this place. I discharged and paid off my guide, and we 
parted mutually satisfied. The same day, in the afternoon, he 
left Ponce to return to his home in Mayaguez. The distance 
from M. to this place is about 70 miles by the route we came ; 
and for my guide and two horses I paid twelve dollars, besides 
some other trifling expenses on the road, for breakfast, feeding 
the horses, &c. The next day, Feb. the 17th, I rode on horse- 
back, in company with Mr. G., about the village of Ponce and 
its vicinity, and also to several sugar estates. 

I found the plantations large and well cultivated. We vis- 
ited two of them, owned by French planters, who had removed 
from New Orleans to this island, and were here settled on large 
sugar estates. One of the gentlemen from New Orleans had a 
steam-mill to grind his cane, and every thing appeared to be 



512 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

got up and managed on a very extensive scale. We found the 
planters uniformly polite and courteous. 

I was forcibly struck with the great improvements made on 
this island since my first voyage here, in the winter of 1816, es- 
pecially on its south side, about Ponce, Guayanilla, Tiabo, and 
all around this region. The south side of Porto Rico was at 
that time but thinly inhabited, and only a small portion of the 
lands cultivated. There were then but few sugar estates, and 
those on a very small scale. And now, after a lapse of fourteen 
years, I found immense cane-fields, large sugar-plantations, every 
thing thriving, and the country comparatively rich and pros- 
perous ; in fact, I could scarcely believe my own eyes, the change 
was so great. I was told that during the last ten or twelve 
years Spain had adopted a very liberal policy towards this 
colony, to induce emigration, by selling the rich cane lands at 
very low prices. It had also fostered and encouraged the slave- 
trade, and, in a word, had granted every facility in its power to 
induce enterprising strangers to come here, to enrich them- 
selves, and consequently to augment the government revenue. 
These facilities granted by Spain had the desired effect ; enter- 
prising men had settled here from nearly all parts of the world ; 
French, Germans, English and Americans, had bought lands, and 
were cultivating them extensively. The island had now become 
rich and prosperous, beyond any thing I could have imagined. 

"While 1 was here at Ponce, on the 18th of February 1831, a 
large brig, under Spanish colors, arrived at a small port about 
a league to the eastward of this place, with 350 negro slaves 
from the coast of Africa. They were all landed under the di- 
rection of the government officers, and I was told their owners 
paid a duty to the government of 25 dollars per head. I went 
with my friend G. to see them landed ; they were all taken to a 
neighboring plantation, and there exposed for sale. They were 
marched up from the vessel in parties of fifty ; the men and women 
were all quite naked, except an apron which they wore about 
their loins ; the children, both boys and girls, were in a perfect 
state of nudity, and, as far as I could judge, they all, both men 
and women, appeared utterly unconscious of any impropriety in 
their want of clothing. They were healthy, sleek, and in good 



SANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 513 

condition, appeared pleased to get on shore, and seemed to me 
to be an inoffensive, docile race of human beings. A large 
quantity of boiled plantains and salted herring was prepared for 
them. They all seemed to eat with a good appetite and enjoy 
their food. The planters from all this part of the island, soon 
came to this depot to purchase according to their wants or 
ability to pay ; and here they were sold singly, in pairs, or in 
larger numbers, as was agreed upon by the parties. 

During my stay at Ponce, I dined at a planter's house in 
company with the captain and supercargo of the slave brig : 
they were intelligent, sociable men, and when conversing on 
the slave trade, said it was a humane and most benevolent traffic ; 
that in many parts of Africa the negroes were cannibals and 
extremely indolent ; that the different tribes were constantly at 
war with each other, and if there were no purchasers for their 
prisoners, they would be all put to death ; that they were in the 
lowest state of degradation, and of no service to the world. On 
the contrary, when they were transported to the West Indies, 
they soon became civilized and useful to mankind. As a proof of 
what they had stated, they said that the boys and girls who were 
allowed to run about the vessel and mix with the seamen, soon 
learned English or Spanish, and acquired considerable intelli- 
gence in the course of a few months, and concluded by affirm- 
ing that the African traders were benevolent and beneficial to 
mankind. The above was the substance of their conversation, 
and shows that a good deal may be said in favor of any system, 
however absurd it may appear to those who are opposed to it. 
After this conversation I remarked to these gentlemen that if 
the negroes were transported from Africa to these islands in 
large, comfortable ships, and sold to humane and benevolent 
masters, perhaps in many cases it would be better for the slaves 
themselves ; but unfortunately, at present, this was not the case 
— on the contrary, they were crammed into small craft, and 
often perished with suffocation, while those who survived were 
liable to be sold to brutal masters, and receive inhuman treat- 
ment. Their reply was, that those who were engaged in the 
trade had been driven to adopt every expedient, in consequence 
33 



514: VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

of the persecutions they had received from short-sighted and ill- 
informed philanthropists. The brig in a few days was cleansed, 
ballasted, and sent up to St. Thomas, to refit and sail to the 
coast of Africa for another cargo. The village of Ponce is 
situated about two miles from the port, and is a small, trifling 
place ; the houses are generally mean and dirty, the wealthy 
part of the inhabitants reside on their own estates, and leave 
the village to the poorer classes of the community. 

At the port, the houses and shops are built along the beach ; 
it is rather a pleasant little place, and may perhaps contain 
three or four hundred souls. The port is a good one, except in 
the hurricane months, when it is rather an unsafe anchorage, as 
the wind from the S. W. blows directly into the harbor. There 
were then lying in this port sixteen sail, mostly brigs and 
schooners, six of which were American. I was told the total 
amount of exports during the last year was 10,000 hogsheads of 
sugar, 15,000 quintals of coffee, 5,000 hides, and a great many 
puncheons of rum and molasses, the exact amount of which I 
could not ascertain. 

I remained here four days, and then hired a guide and two 
horses, to convey myself and baggage to Guayama, which town 
is situated about eighteen or twenty leagues to the eastward of 
Ponce, and thus on the 19th of February, at five o'clock in the 
afternoon, I took leave of my kind friend J. M. Garrus, and 
started for Chicaboca, a small village about eight miles on my 
route to the eastward, where I had arranged to put up for the 
night. My friend G. gave me a letter to a Mr. De Joice, a 
sugar planter, residing on his estate at Chicaboca. I arrived at 
the house of Monsieur De J. at eight in the evening, and was 
kindly received by this gentleman. I took supper, and retired 
at nine o'clock, and according to my usual custom, started the 
next morning at three hours after midnight for Guayama. My 
hospitable host Monsieur De Joice informed me, that there 
were several sugar estates at and around the village of Chica- 
boca, and that the place was improving. The small farmers 
and the poorer classes of people along the road in this region, 
generally cultivate plantain, Indian corn, and tobacco. The 



SANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 515 

first named article is an excellent substitute for bread, and 
grows almost spontaneously, requiring very little care or 
attention. 

Plantain is the chief support of the poorer classes on this 
island, it is in fact to them as potatoes to the poorer classes in 
Ireland. Before leaving Ponce, my friend G. told me I should 
probably be at a village called Salines, the next morning at 
eight o'clock, and that it was a poverty-stricken place ; that I 
should not be able to obtain a breakfast among its miserable 
population. He insisted on giving me a letter to an Italian 
planter residing in its vicinity. I accordingly took it, resolving 
in my mind at the same time not to deliver it, for it certainly 
had the appearance of a mere order for a breakfast ; and thus 
to present a letter of introduction to a stranger whom I had 
never seen before, was rather a delicate business : but after 
getting to Salines, I found it just as Mr. G. had predicted. "We 
inquired at almost every shanty in the village, whether we 
could get breakfast with them ; the answer was uniformly 
the same, " No hay nada." One had bread and no coffee, 
another had coffee but no bread, another had eggs but neither 
coffee nor bread. We had been travelling about five or six 
hours on the road, and felt hungry, faint and weary, and I 
therefore resolved to waive all ceremony, and go forthwith to 
the estate of Senor Yincenti and present my letter. 

I did so, and found Mr. V. in his boiling house, superintend- 
ing the negroes who were making sugar. He received me 
politely, made many inquiries about his friend G., said he was 
very happy to see me, and added, that while breakfast was pre- 
paring he would do himself the pleasure to show me his planta- 
tion, which he said was quite new, that he had only been two 
years on the island, and had not yet got his grounds, mills, etc., 
in good order, but hoped in another year or two to have a good 
productive sugar estate. At about nine o'clock breakfast was 
announced, and I was happy to find it a very substantial one, 
such as fricasseed chickens, fried eggs, bread and plantains, claret 
wine, coffee, etc. etc., in fine, it was more like a dinner than a 
breakfast. His wife was a native of the island, and appeared 
like a retiring, modest woman. Our company consisted of Mr. 



516 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

Y. and his wife, a broken-down sea captain, and a Mr. S., a 
millwright, who was a native of Connecticut. He had been 
living on this island, and at St. Thomas, for ten or twelve years ; 
he was a shrewd, intelligent man, about forty years old, and 
well acquainted with every thing that related to the growth of 
trees and timber on this, and the neighboring islands. He in- 
formed me that he had in five years after landing at St. Thomas, 
amassed considerable property, but soon lost it all again, by 
making some unfortunate contracts with the planters, such as 
getting timber from Crab Island, and building sugar mills in 
Porto Rico. He said he had to hire miserable, inefficient me- 
chanics, and had in various ways been deceived and cheated out 
of his hard-earned money, and was now ashamed to return home 
poor. He was at present working as a mere millwright for four 
dollars per day, and had no one to assist him to build sugar 
mills but stupid negro slaves. When I heard his story, and 
saw the quick glance of his piercing eye, and listened to his 
animated conversation, I felt sorry that such an efficient, enter- 
prising man should be thus doomed to waste his life here in 
obscurity. 

The captain was about sixty years old, a Swede by birth, 
and a very singular person. He had at one period of his life 
commanded a large ship in the East Indies, spoke four or five 
different languages, was full of talent and general intelligence, 
and extremely interesting in conversation. He was living 
with Senor Yincenti, as a sort of " Man Friday," and was in 
every respect an original character. Mr. Y., our host, had seen 
much of men and the world, and was a pleasant, gentlemanly 
man. As near as I could judge, we were all pleased with each 
other, and did not leave the breakfast-table until near eleven 
o'clock, when I hinted to Don Yincenti that it was time for me 
to be off for Guayama, in order to get there before nightfall. 
He kindly pressed me to stay another day ; to this I could not 
assent, but shall never forget Senor Y.'s kind hospitality, nor 
the original and agreeable company I met at his house. After 
leaving Salines I found the lands badly cultivated, and but a 
sparse population, until we arrived in the neighborhood of 
Guayama. There are no carriage ways on this part of the 



SANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 517 

island, but the road is pretty good to travel on horseback, par- 
ticularly at this season. In consequence of the uncommon 
drought which then prevailed, the small streams and rivers were 
all dried up, and there had been but very little rain for the last 
two or three months, so that we were enabled to ride over the 
rivers and along the bottom lands without any obstruction. 
The day was hot, and the horse I rode gave out before we reach- 
ed Guayama, so that I was obliged to leave him at a small 
house about five miles to the westward of our place of des- 
tination ; here my guide hired another for me, and agreed to 
pay for it and for the keeping of his horse, the next day on his 
return home to Ponce. This guide was an honest fellow, but 
not so social and amusing as the one I had with me from Maya- 
guez to Ponce. 

I was occasionally amused with the simplicity of the coun- 
try people along the road. It often happened while travelling 
that we fell in with men and women on horseback, and when 
going the same way, we sometimes rode for several miles in 
company, and I often found it very agreeable to converse with 
them. 

This day we fell in with a plain-looking man, going to 
Guayama. I observed he had a great deal of curiosity to know 
who I was, and what could be my object in travelling about 
the island. I accordingly pulled up my horse a little to allow 
my conductor and the stranger to ride on a short distance 
ahead, and give them an opportunity to converse together 
without the embarrassment of a third person. In this situation 
I overheard the following dialogue. " Who is the gentleman 
you are conducting from Ponce to Guayama? what is his busi- 
ness, and what can be his motive for travelling about at so 
great an expense ?" My guide told him I was an Anglo- Ameri- 
cano, he believed I was a merchant, but what object I could 
have in travelling all over the island he could not imagine ; he 
thought I must be full of money, because the guide who came 
with me from Mayaguez to Ponce told him I paid him 12 dol- 
lars, and that I had also agreed to pay him 9 dollars for his ser- 
vices ; and concluded with a shrug of his shoulders, that it was 
difficult to conceive how any man should be willing to leave 



518 VOYAGE TO 8T. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

his own country and ride all over this vast island at so great an 
expense, and still he was convinced I was not quite a fool. He 
further added that Senor G., in Ponce, told him I was a kind, 
sensible man, and that he must be very civil and attentive to 
the stranger, or he would never again recommend him to another 
gentleman. Here ended the conversation between my guide 
and our accidental travelling companion. The grounds along 
the road for two or three miles before we reached Guayama, 
were highly cultivated, and it was an agreeable sight to see 
the vast fields of sugar cane nearly ripe enough to cut ; and 
every thing around me wearing the appearance of thriving 
prosperity. 

¥e arrived at Guayama at 6 o'clock, just before nightfall, 
very hungry and excessively fatigued. I believe the distance 
between Ponce and this place by land is about eighteen or 
twenty leagues. 

I took board and lodging with an American who kept a 
small hotel at the port of Guayama. After settling with my 
guide, and giving him a small gratuity over and above the hire 
of himself and his miserable horses, I retired to rest. The next 
day, February the 21st, after breakfast I sallied out in pursuit 
of the American consul, whom I found a polite, sociable man. 
"With him and two other American merchants I rode about the 
town and its vicinity-. Guayama is located on ground of a 
moderate height, and though not hilly, is somewhat undulating 
and irregular. It probably contains about 3,500 inhabitants of 
all colors. I should judge there was about one-third of the 
number white ; the remainder are negroes, mulattoes, and sam- 
boes. From the town to the port or landing-place, the distance 
is about four miles. The houses are generally built of wood, are 
small and inconvenient. This town, like Ponce, is inhabited 
by mechanics and working classes ; the planters uniformly re- 
side on their own sugar estates in the neighborhood. The port 
of Guayama is only an open bay, and scarcely deserves the 
name of a harbor : it lies in lat. 17° 55' K, long. 65° 50' W., 
on the south side of the island, and is-distant about twenty miles 
from its extreme eastern end. At times the wind blows into 
the bay and causes a very rough, high swell, and much surf, 



SANTA CKUZ AND POKTO KICO. 519 

* 

which renders it difficult to land goods or take on board ship 
the produce of the island. There were then lying at anchor in 
this bay twelve brigs and schooners ; five of them" were Ameri- 
cans, and the rest mostly small coasting vessels that traded be- 
tween this place and St. Thomas. The common anchorage is in 
about six fathoms of water, and not more than a pistol shot from 
the shore. To land or take on board cargo depends very much 
on the state of the weather, and it can only be done with safety 
when the weather is good, and the water in the bay so smooth 
as not to create much surf on the beach at the landing-place. 
The houses and shops are built of wood along the shore of the 
bay, very near the sand beach, and there are probably about 
250 or 300 inhabitants of various colors residing here. "With all 
the disadvantages of a bad port, I was told they annually ex- 
ported from this place about 8,000 hogsheads of sugar and 4,000 
hogsheads of molasses, and some coffee of an inferior quality. 
They also export a few hides, but the great staple articles of ex- 
portation from this place are sugar and molasses. The grounds 
near Guayama and the adjacent country are said to be very rich 
and fertile, and the planters that manage well generally make 
considerable fortunes in a few years. After remaining here two 
clays I took passage in the packet boat sloop Hope, of twelve 
tons burthen, Captain Jack Oben. This boat had a very small 
cabin, which was stowed full of goods, so that the captain, my- 
self, and one other passenger were obliged to live on deck, or 
rather in the stern sheets of this little, uncomfortable craft. 
The crew consisted of the captain, one man and a small negro 
boy ; there was no room below the deck, of course everybody 
lived on deck. Thus manned and equipped we sailed out of 
the bay of Guayama on the 23d of February, 1831, bound up to 
St. Thomas, a distance of 80 or 90 miles, and lying almost di- 
rectly east of Guayama, so that we of course had to beat up 
against the K. E. and E. N. E. trade winds the whole distance. 
There was no place to walk or cook on board, we were therefore 
obliged to get our food cooked before we started ; I provided 
myself with a boiled ham, some sea-biscuit, and a few bottles 
of claret wine. There was no other method of getting up to St. 
Thomas from this place except by waiting a week or ten days 



520 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

longer, which I did not choose to do. I thought I could endure 
a passage on deck for a couple of days, but in this calculation I 
committed a great error, and consider this unwise decision one 
of the greatest mistakes I ever made in travelling either by land 
or water. It so happened that the trade- winds were uncom- 
monly fresh, attended with a strong lee-current, so that during 
the whole passage we were obliged to turn directly to wind- 
ward on short tacks, constantly ducking our heads to avoid 
the main boom, which rendered it impossible to use an umbrella 
during the day, and left us entirely exposed to a burning sun. 
At night it was comparatively cold with a chilling dew ; there 
was no room to walk the deck or take the least exercise for 
fear of falling overboard ; neither was there any place to lie 
down, and no one could sleep without the greatest danger of 
being knocked overboard by the main boom. Any thing like 
sound sleep was quite out of the question ; added to these diffi- 
culties, the spray flew all over the boat, and constantly kept us 
drenched with salt water. As we approached Crab Island I 
flattered myself we should find a good lee, and probably be 
favored with smooth water while beating up along its shores, 
but in this I was disappointed ; we found no lee, nor were we 
at all favored by any change of wind. Crab Island lies about 
five leagues to the S. E. of Porto Rico. It is about fifteen or 
twenty miles long and five or six broad. It lies east and west, 
is of a moderate height and well covered with trees, but being 
uninhabited, it has a lonely, solitary appearance. 

The wind continued fresh and strong against us, and we 
were consequently obliged to beat every inch of the way, and 
thus after much severe suffering we entered the harbor of St. 
Thomas on the 24th of February at nine o'clock in the evening, 
seventy-two hours from Guayama. When I landed, my limbs 
were so benumbed and stiff that it was with the greatest diffi- 
culty I could walk to my lodgings : cramped up in a sitting po- 
sition, and without sleep for seventy-two hours, had so exhaust- 
ed every faculty, that I find it difficult to convey a correct idea 
of what I endured during the passage. 

The captain or patroon of this boat was an honest, faithful 
man, and worthy to command a larger and a better vessel ; he 



SANTA CKUZ AND PORTO EICO. 521 

owned half of the " Hope," and had been employed running as 
a freight and packet boat between the two places for several 
years. He spoke Creole French, Spanish, and tolerable Eng- 
lish, and had the entire confidence of the mercantile portion 
of the community both in St. Thomas and Guayama, and was 
intrusted with large sums of money to carry between the two 
places. He was a man without education, could neither read 
nor write, but had picked up a great many amusing anecdotes 
and interesting stories which he related with great good humor 
during the whole passage. But how this man had lived so long 
and enjoyed good health, with so little sleep and so much fa- 
tigue, was a great mystery to me. He steered the boat during 
the whole passage, and never complained of his mode of life, 
but on the contrary appeared contented and happy in his situa- 
tion. I often reflect on the cheerful disposition and agreeable 
qualities of the worthy Jack Oben, and think he possessed and 
practised more genuine philosophy than hundreds of savans who 
have written beautiful moral essays on the subject. This unlet- 
tered patroon, though occupying a humble station in life, pos- 
sessed many of the elements of a great man ; he had a strong 
memory, was brave and generous, and highly gifted with in- 
domitable perseverance. 

When I returned to my former lodgings, at Mrs. K.'s, I 
found my rooms vacant, and shall never forget how happy I 
felt in the quiet enjoyment of a good bed and uninterrupted 
sleep for at least twelve hours. I had now accomplished a tour 
over a large portion of Porto Rico, and returned safe to St. 
Thomas, after an absence of three weeks. I was glad to meet 
with my mercantile friends again, and to hear what was going 
on in the commercial world. I soon received letters from my in- 
valid sister in St. Croix, and late news from friends at home. 
During the month of February, of this winter, there were four- 
teen sail of American vessels put into this port in distress, ten 
of which were repaired, and four condemned as unseaworthy. 
About this time I received letters from two of the New York 
insurance companies, desiring me to visit the ships and vessels 
in distress, in a word to consult their interest, and see that no 
vessels were condemned without just cause. This request I 



522 VOYAGE TO ST. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

complied with to the best of my abilities, without pay or re- 
ward. As I had much leisure, I was happy to be of service to 
them. 

During my stay here, waiting the return of my little schooner 
from Savannah, I used to occupy myself making purchases of 
coffee, at private sale and at public auction, and shipping it to 
New York for my own account. I used frequently to ride on 
horseback all over the island, and when not able to ride to the 
summit of the mountains, often dismounted and clambered up 
to their very tops, from which I always had a magnificent view 
of this and the neighboring islands, and was richly rewarded 
for my pains and trouble. Santa Cruz and St. Thomas both 
belong to Denmark, and are about twenty miles asunder. This 
island lies in lat. 18° 20' north, long. 65° 0' west. It lies north 
of St. Croix, and due east from Porto Rico. It is about twenty 
miles long, from east to west, and six or eight broad. It is 
mountainous, generally sterile and unproductive, except in a 
few of the valleys on the southern side of the mountains. It is 
very subject to severe droughts and violent hurricanes. Sugar 
is the principal article produced here, and that not in great 
quantities ; they also raise a little cotton. From the high 
grounds on this island, the houses on the north side of Santa 
Cruz can be distinctly seen on a clear day. The harbor lies on 
the south side of the island, and is smooth and safe from all 
winds, except in hurricanes from the westward, when it blows 
directly into the port, and generally drives all the shipping on 
shore. The whole population of this island probably amounts 
to 7,500 or 8,000 souls, about 1,000 of whom are white, the re- 
mainder mulattoes, negroes, and all the intermediate shades be- 
tween black and white. The Danish government has made St. 
Thomas almost a free port, the duties on imports and exports 
being merely nominal. The port charges are also very light. 
This circumstance, and its central position among the islands, 
renders it a great commercial emporium, and induces ships and 
vessels to resort here from almost all parts of the world. Crowds 
of merchants flock here from all the neighboring islands, and 
even from ports on the Spanish Main, to sell and purchase mer- 
chandise of every description. It not unfrequently happens that 



SANTA CEUZ AND P0ET0 EICO. 523 

many articles of trade are sold here much lower than they would 
bring in the countries where they are produced ; consequently 
it follows that almost all the necessaries of life are generally 
found here abundant and cheap. The government officers and 
the garrison are Danes, and converse in the Danish language. 
The mercantile classes generally speak English, French, and 
Spanish, while the masses speak Creole French, English, and 
Spanish, intermixed with the African lingo ; so that when a 
stranger visits the market-places, or any other public assembly, 
he is almost deafened with the confused jargon of discordant 
sounds, which reminds one of ancient Babel. Several of the 
public buildings are large and commodious ; the houses of the 
merchants and of the richer classes are also airy and well adapted 
to the climate ; but the greatest portion of the town consists of 
small, mean, wooden buildings, which is the cause of frequent 
and destructive fires. The harbor, which is a beautiful little 
basin, lies at the foot of several high hills, and when at anchor 
here, one has a very good view of the town. The warehouses 
and shops are located along the shore, and as the principal part 
of the town is built upon three hills, and the houses all overlook 
each other, from the anchorage it presents a fine panoramic 
view. 

This port is the very centre of the slave-trade ; here nearly 
all the slave-trading ships and vessels at the present day resort, 
not to dispose of their slaves, but to fit out for the coast of Af- 
rica. On their return, their cargoes are distributed among all 
the islands in the West Indies, but by far the greatest number 
are sold in Porto Rico and Cuba. In this port the slavers find 
every facility to accomplish their object, and are fostered and 
protected by the Danish government. All the articles necessa- 
ry to accomplish a voyage to the coast are brought here from 
England and the United States. Handcuffs and leg-shackles, 
negro-cloth, and a thousand other cheap manufactured articles, 
are furnished them from England, while rice, tobacco, flour, 
and other provisions, are supplied from the United States. I 
saw here a large number of sharp-built brigs and pilot-boat 
schooners, all fitting out at the same time, and, as far as I could 
learn, there were no obstacles thrown in their way. At this 



524 VOYAGE TO ST. BAKTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

time there was also a large clipper ship, Baltimore built, of 
some five or six hundred tons burthen, commanded by a French- 
man, with whom I had become acquainted in Peru in the year 
1826. He called his ship the Sultana, said she belonged to the 
Havana, and that he expected to bring 800 or 1000 slaves from 
the coast, and land them on the island of Cuba ; and if fortunate 
enough to perform a safe voyage, expected to make a great deal 
of money. Captain S. invited me on board to visit his ship ; 
she had a very formidable battery of twelve large guns, with 
swords, muskets, pistols, pikes, &c, &c. He swore to me that 
nothing of less force than a frigate should ever capture him 
alive. He was a native of Paris, then about forty years old, 
rather above the middle size, stout, strong and athletic, a good 
seaman, and of a bold and daring disposition. He spoke flu- 
ently four or five languages, and was altogether an original 
character. He seemed neither to fear God nor regard man, and 
appeared to be just fitted for the desperate business in which he 
was engaged. I have seen the slave-trade in all its phases, both 
among these islands and in Brazil. I was at Santa Jago de 
Cuba about the time the American Congress passed the law 
making it felony for American citizens to be concerned in the 
slave-trade. At that period, there were in the port two or three 
vessels fitting out for the coast of Africa ; most of the Ameri- 
cans that were attached to them left them and went on shore ; 
still, there were a few of the most reckless who remained, and 
were willing to risk their necks for the prospect of making 
money. So it will ever be when the allurement of great gain 
is held up to view ; desperate men can always be found to haz- 
ard life and limb for the temptation of acquiring large sums of 
money in a short space of time. And though so much is said 
in condemnation of these men who prosecute the slave-trade, 
still, they are mere instruments in the hands of capitalists, who, 
in the end, reap the greatest portion of the gain. 

Should it be asked, Where do the capitalists, the very main- 
springs that set the whole machine in motion, reside ? My 
answer is, I do not know ; they may live sumptuously in Eng- 
land, Prance, the United States, or elsewhere. One thing is 
certain, that very few of the planters in these islands have very 



SANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 525 

much ready money to invest in this business, and but few mer- 
chants who reside in the West Indies can spare means to be 
employed in the slave-trade ; still the business goes on from 
year to year, and no one knows who owns the ships engaged in 
the trade. For the information of those who have never seen a 
slave ship, I will just add that they are armed with great guns, 
muskets, swords, pistols, pikes, &c. ; they have a strong bulk- 
head to serve as a barricade, built athwart the after part of the 
vessel, through which are loop-holes ; and as all the muskets 
and pistols are kept in the cabin, the captain and the officers 
can fire through these holes and put down a revolt, should there 
be one among the slaves, without endangering their own lives. 
For fear I should weary the patience of my readers by writing 
any more on the subject, I will merely relate an incident con- 
nected with the purchase of slaves fresh from the coast, and as 
it may serve to illustrate the natural love of finery in the female 
sex, I will insert it just as it happened. About this period a 
small cargo of African slaves was imported into this island. 
Mrs. Kelly went to the depot where they were kept, and pur- 
chased a female slave of about twelve years of age. She was a 
slender, delicate little girl of good features, and although she 
spoke not a word of English, was quick to understand, and apt to 
learn. She was very thin, and quite naked except an apron, which 
she wore about her loins. Her mistress had her thoroughly scrub- 
bed and washed with soap suds, and then dressed her in fine, gay- 
colored clothing. She had a red handkerchief gracefully tied 
round her head, and put rings in her ears, and bracelets on her 
arms. Mrs. K. taught her to sew, and wait upon her as her 
personal servant. It was surprising to witness the rapid pro- 
gress this little negress made in a few weeks ; not only in 
speaking English, but in the use of the needle, and other little 
domestic affairs : every thing went on well, until the little girl 
in some way offended her mistress, when in lieu of whipping, 
she took off all her finery, and put on the original apron that 
she wore when purchased ; she then pointed at her apron and 
her fine clothing, accused her of the basest ingratitude, and 
threatened to sell her if she should ever again be guilty of the 
smallest offence. I came in at this moment, and saw the poor 



526 VOYAGE TO 8T. BARTHOLOMEW, ST. THOMAS, 

child crying as though her heart would break. I of course 
begged Mrs. K. to pardon and restore her to her former posi- 
tion. This was done at my request, when her grief was soon 
changed to joy and gladness. 

It will be recollected that my schooner Julia and Laura, 
sailed from the west end of St. Croix, on the 20th of January ? 
bound for Rum Key and Savannah. Captain H. touched at 
Rum Key, and could get no salt ; from thence he proceeded to 
Savannah. At that place he employed Messrs. H. S. and T. to 
assist him in his business ; these gentlemen sold his coffee, and 
procured for him a cargo consisting of rice, lumber, and a few 
other articles of merchandise, the whole invoice of which 
amounted to $2,000 ; and after lying two weeks in that port, he 
sailed for Martinique on the 2oth of February. Captain H. 
had a short passage out to the Islands, and after touching at 
Martinique and Guadaloupe, at which places he was unable to 
dispose of his cargo at a profit, came down here on the first of 
April. I here sold a portion of the rice through my friends, 
Messrs. R. "W. and D. I also shipped about twenty tierces of 
rice to Ponce, and the same number to Guayama, and on the 
7th of April dispatched the Julia and. Laura for St. Johns, Porto 
Rico. At that place he disposed of the balance of his cargo, 
the avails of which he invested in sugar and molasses ; he 
then procured the balance of a cargo of the same articles on 
freight for New York. On the 14th of March, my sister came 
here from Santa Cruz, and took lodgings with me at Mrs. K.'s. 
I lost no time in winding up my business, and as the winter had 
now passed away, we took passage on board the American brig 
Ranger, Captain Eldridge, for New York. We sailed from St. 
Thomas on the 9th of April, and after a passage of twelve days, 
got safe back to New York, without meeting with any incident 
worth recording ; and I am happy to add that my sister's health 
was very much benefited by the voyage, and that we found all 
our friends well. 

Captain Hepburn made a short passage from Porto Rico to 
New York, and after discharging his cargo, I forthwith loaded 
his vessel with flour, provisions, and other articles of merchan- 
dise for St. Thomas. She sailed from New York on the 23d of 



SANTA CRUZ AND PORTO RICO. 527 

May, and had a short passage out. At St. Thomas he sold his 
cargo through my friends, Messrs. Reed, "Whitmore and Davis. 
These gentlemen soon procured a freight for the little schooner 
from Ponce to Boston. 

Captain H. took a full cargo of sugar and molasses at Ponce, 
and sailed for Boston, where he arrived safe in August, 1831 ; 
at that place she was consigned to my friends Messrs. Barnard, 
Adams & Co., and after the freight was delivered, these gentle- 
men sold the Julia and Laura, and closed all accounts relating 
to this vessel. I would here observe, that I owned this little 
schooner for a period of eighteen months, during the whole of 
which time she was ably commanded by Captain Richard 
Hepburn. He made several safe voyages to the "West Indies in 
this vessel to my entire satisfaction. Previous to this period he 
commanded two other vessels belonging to me ; and I add with 
pleasure that I always found him an honest, faithful man, a very 
efficient captain and supercargo, and was every way worthy of 
the highest confidence of his employers. 

After I had disposed of the Julia and Laura, and collected 
what funds were due me from St. Thomas and Porto Rico, I 
gradually withdrew from any further trade or traffic withthese 
islands. The trade to these places is almost always overdone, 
and very few individuals succeed in acquiring a fair remunera- 
tion for the employment of their time and capital. The wind- 
ward West India Islands have been gradually declining for the 
last twenty years ; some thirty or forty years ago the com- 
merce to these islands was of vast importance to the Union, 
particularly to the New England States ; but owing to various 
causes, it has at the present day dwindled away to comparative 
insignificance. There are many reasons for their constant dete- 
rioration, the most prominent of which are as follows ; their cane 
lands are mostly worn out and exhausted, their slaves have been 
emancipated, and the general peace of the world has turned 
the current of trade to the East Indies, Brazil, and other distant 
regions of the globe. 



CHAPTER XXXIII 

FIKST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT, FROM NEW YORK TO THE ISLE 
OF MAY AND RIO DE JANEIRO, THENCE TO NEW ORLEANS AND BOSTON, 
IN THE YEARS 1837 AND 1838. 

Before commencing this voyage, I will make a few preliminary- 
remarks. 

In the year 1833, by persevering industry and economy, I 
had acquired sufficient property to retire from business pursuits. 
I therefore repaired, with my family, to New Haven, Connecti- 
cut, where I resolved to spend the down-hill of life in quiet re- 
pose ; but scarcely had I lived in that city two years, before the 
great conflagration occurred in New York, on the 16th of De- 
cember, 1835. This great fire spread over an area of fifteen or 
eighteen acres of ground, and destroyed, as was estimated at 
the time, about eighteen or twenty millions of dollars. It ruined 
nearly all the fire insurance companies in the city, and seriously 
involved very many individuals ; among others, I also suffered 
severely. I was a stockholder to a considerable amount in five 
different fire companies, and lost nearly all my stock, to the 
amount of $15,000, which was to me a sad calamity — being the 
fruit of many long years of hard toil ; this misfortune, with 
others, the depreciation of property, bad debts, etc., augmented 
my losses to about twenty thousand dollars. This was a great 
crisis in my life, which led me seriously to reflect on my pecu- 
niary situation, and I soon came to the conclusion either to re- 
tire into the country, namely, into some one of the Western 
States, where I could live on a small income, or go to sea again, 
and labor in my vocation. After consulting with a few friends 
on the subject, I finally concluded to rely upon my own re- 



FIKST VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 529 

sources, and once more try my fortune on the broad ocean. I 
accordingly purchased a low-priced brig, called the Brilliant ; 
this vessel was two hundred and forty-five tons, and, although 
old, proved to be a good sea-boat. At this period there was 
great commercial distress throughout the United States, and 
business generally at a very low ebb ; there were no freights to 
be had ; and in consequence of the great number of failures 
among business men, it was extremely difficult to obtain credit 
abroad. The large and rich houses with whom I had been for 
many years connected, did not wish at this time to enter upon 
foreign voyages ; so that I was, in fact, thrown upon my own 
resources. I therefore resolved to go upon my own hook, and 
try what I could do abroad on a small scale. "With this view, I 
ballasted the Brilliant with stone, and resolved to proceed to 
the Isle of May, for a cargo of salt for Rio de Janeiro, and 
there be governed by circumstances with respect to my future 
operations. 

After my vessel was ballasted, I purchased nine bales of 
brown domestic cotton shirtings, containing seven thousand 
yards, at six and a quarter cents. These cottons, with sundry 
other trifling articles, amounted to about five hundred dollars. 
I also laid in sufficient bread and salt provisions for a five 
months' voyage. 

Money stocks were at this period low and dull ; and in order 
not to sacrifice them, I obtained a loan of ten thousand dollars 
for eight months, pledging my stocks as collateral security. 
With this money, I purchased doubloons for nearly the whole 
amount, to take with me, as a small capital to trade upon. 

At this time, my eldest and only daughter, Sarah Meheta- 
ble, was about five years old, and being a feeble child, I resolv- 
ed, with the consent of her mother, to take her along with me ; 
hoping a sea-voyage would restore her to health. 

I then shipped Mr. George Brock, as chief mate ; I had also 
a second mate, six men and a cook, which comprised the entire 
crew of the Brilliant. 

"We left New York on the 5th of December, with a fine N. 
"W. wind, and at noon discharged the pilot, when Sandy Hook 
bore west six miles distant. 
84 



530 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 

During the afternoon we continued to have pleasant breezes 
from the westward, with fine weather. Towards evening my 
little daughter inquired whether it was not time to return home 
again to see her mother, being under the impression that we 
were only making a little excursion for the day, and that we 
should return home at night. I told her we were going a great 
way from home, and that after seeing other countries, getting a 
great many pretty things, and plenty of oranges to bring back 
to her mother, we should return. This answer seemed to satisfy 
her for the moment ; still she often inquired why her mother 
did not come along with us, and asked many other childlike 
questions. 

At eight o'clock in the evening, I put her to bed in my 
berth, when she soon dropped to sleep, as I expected for the 
night. It being my first watch on deck from eight to midnight, 
at ten I went below to look after the child ; I found her sitting 
up. She said she could not sleep without her father in this 
strange place, so unlike her own home. To soothe and quiet 
her, I laid down beside her ; she soon fell asleep, and did not 
awake until seven o'clock the next morning. 

The wind for the first two days continued moderate from the 
westward, with fine weather ; and as the brig was in light bal- 
last trim, she ran off before the wind with great rapidity. On 
the third day out, it increased to a fresh gale, always blowing 
from W. to J$. W., with open, cloudy weather. The Brilliant 
thus far proved to be a good vessel, strong, stanch and tight ; 
and off the wind, sailed very fast for one of her class. We this 
day made one hundred and sixty-three miles log distance, and 
were at meridian in latitude by observation, 36° 53' 1ST. ; and 
longitude by the chronometer, 66° 24/ W. of London. 

From the 8th to the 25th of December, say for a period of 
seventeen days, we had continuous gales from the westward, 
always blowing strong, with a high sea driving us along ; but 
as the brig was light, we ran off with great speed before these 
violent gales, without shipping a sea or scarcely taking a drop 
of water on deck, and generally averaged about two hundred 
miles per day. 

My little daughter had now become so accustomed to the 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG- BRILLIANT. 531 

sea that she felt quite at home, and was contented and happy 
■when the sea was smooth enough for her to play about the 
quarter-deck. But when the brig had too much motion for her 
to stand up and play, I secured her in a little place built for 
the purpose in the companion-way, where she could see the 
water, study her daily lessons, and amuse herself looking at 
pictures in sundry small books provided for her before leaving 
New York ; in this way she passed her time pleasantly, and 
gave no trouble. 

She was the only female on board, and soon became a great 
pet with my officers, and was a source of pleasure and amuse- 
ment to me. 

On the 26th we were far enough to the eastward, and hav- 
ing now got fairly into the N. E. trade- winds, we of course found 
gentle breezes, and clear, pleasant weather. At noon this day, 
our latitude by observation was 18° 37' N. ; and the longitude 
by the chronometer, 22° 50' W. I then shaped my course for 
the Isle of Sol, or Salt Island, and steered south to make it. 

"We had fresh trades during the night, and fine weather ; at 
midnight we took in studding-sails, shortened sail, and kept a 
sharp look-out for the land. At four o'clock a. m. we made the 
Isle of Sol ahead, bearing S. S. W., twelve or fourteen miles 
distant ; we then hauled upon the wind under easy sail until 
six, daylight, when we again made sail and steered towards the 
land. This island is one of the group of the Cape de Verds ; 
the body or centre of it lies in latitude 16° 40' N., longitude 
22° 53' W. 

We had thus, made our passage from Sandy Hook to this 
place in twenty-one days, without meeting with the slightest 
accident. We steered down the west side of this island, keep- 
ing about eight or ten miles off shore, and at noon, by a good ob- 
servation, were in latitude 16° 18' N. ; longitude about 23° 14/ 
W. Sol or Salt Island is pretty high, and may be seen in clear 
weather at fifty miles distance. It is about twenty miles long 
and eight or ten broad ; the harbor lies on the west side of the 
island. I believe it is seldom visited, except by those who go 
there to purchase salt, which I am told is abundant and cheap. 

"We had fine, fresh breezes at N. E. during the day, with 



532 FIKST VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 

clear, pleasant weather. In the afternoon we passed in sight of 
the Island of Bonavista, another of this group. This island lies 
about twenty miles to the southward of the Isle of Sol, and is 
larger and more productive. 

We steered down to the southward towards the Isle of May 
until eight in the evening; it being too late to enter the 
harbor during daylight, we shortened sail, and the next morning 
at nine o'clock, December the 28th, came to anchor in a little 
bay in seven fathoms of water, opposite the town, about half a 
mile from the shore, twenty-two days from ISTew York. In a 
few minutes after we came to anchor several boats came along- 
side, to offer their services and solicit my business. I soon re- 
paired on shore, and employed the Governor, Don Antonia 
Cardozo de Mello, to assist me in disposing of what few articles 
I had for sale, and to procure a cargo of salt. Don A. 0. M. 
was a mulatto gentleman, and besides being the Governor of the 
island, was a pretty good merchant, and a man of considerable 
property. With him I soon made a bargain that he should take 
all my cotton shirting at fourteen cents per yard, payable in 
salt, at six dollars the moyo, which is at the rate of ten cents the 
bushel ; and for the other little articles I received a correspond- 
ing profit, so that when I left the island with a full cargo of salt, 
say 8,500 bushels, I received some forty or fifty dollars in silver 
money, besides paying the port charges and other expenses 
during my stay here. In the afternoon of the day of my arrival 
we commenced discharging our ballast, and the next day began 
taking in salt, which is piled up in immense heaps all about the 
town. It is measured, put into small bags, carried on asses, to 
a flat cliff of rocks at the water side, and delivered at the ex- 
pense of the seller. From the top of this rock it is lowered or 
slid into boats, and taken on board at the purchaser's expense. 
The whole of the community, or at least all the inhabitants of 
the town, own a portion of these heaps, and although but few 
agents are appointed to dispose of it, still they are bound to ac- 
count to the numerous owners, and obligated when a cargo of 
salt is sold, to pay each individual the amount of his interest in 
each heap. All the salt on this island is made in one large 
pond, located about a mile from the town, near the sand beach. 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 533 

I should think it was about two miles long and one broad. I 
am told it is made by opening a sluice or passage through a 
sand-bank to the sea at a certain time of the year, probably in 
the rainy season. After the pond is filled with salt water, the 
passage is closed up, and left to the powerful action of the sun, 
which in the summer is so intense that all the fresh water in the 
pond soon evaporates, and the whole sheet becomes pure brine. 
It soon crystallizes on the surface, and then settles at the bottom. 
On a given day appointed by the government, the whole com- 
munity commence raking and picking the salt from the pond, 
generally in boats ; some rake it upon the shore ; others wade 
and collect it in baskets : each person or family keeps theirs 
separate, until it is transported by jackasses to the town, there 
measured and deposited in large heaps. A person is employed 
by the public authorities to receive and measure each one's salt, 
and register the amount in a book kept for that purpose ; so 
that almost every person on the island is interested in these 
heaps, which are often very large ; some of them may perhaps 
contain 70 or 80,000 bushels. These large heaps are generally 
made in the shape of a sugar-loaf, very broad at the base, and 
so placed that the water will run off and not lodge near the 
foundation. A heap made in this way soon forms a smooth 
crust on the surface, and will turn the rain without melting, and 
may be preserved for years. The appearance of these immense 
heaps is of a dusky brown color, owing to the brown sand and 
dust being blown by the wind and lodged on the exterior 
surface ; this tint, however, is extremely thin, and when the 
heap is opened the whole mass is generally coarse white rock 
salt. 

I hired a large launch from the Governor, and with my own 
long-boat managed to take on board from six to eight hundred 
bushels per day. The mode of shipping it here is as follows : 
a kedge anchor, with one end of a hawser attached to it, is 
dropped at a distance of forty or fifty fathorns from the shore, 
and the other end is taken to the table land on a cliff some 
twenty or thirty feet high, and placed over the crotch of a pair 
of shears, erected for that purpose, sufficiently high to be out of 
the way of the heads of the workmen ; a tackle is then made 



534 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG- BRILLIANT. 

fast to the other end of the hawser and attached to the rocks at 
some distance from the platform, and hauled taut ; the boats are 
secured to the hawser near the water with their heads off shore. 
"When thus prepared, the bags are placed in straps or selvedges 
made for the purpose, and with a travelling becket are slid 
rapidly down the hawser into the boats. In this way a boat is 
soon loaded when the weather is fine and the water smooth in 
the bay, but when the sea is rough and there is much surf on, 
it is very difficult and even dangerous to send it on board. On 
the top of the cliff there is a large, flat, open space, perhaps two 
hundred feet square, which affords sufficient room for four or 
five ships to take in salt at the same time, but not more. Each 
captain furnishes his own boats, kedge, hawser, shears, and all 
the ropes and tackles that may be necessary, and prepares every 
thing with his own officers and crew, and when his ship is 
loaded, the whole is removed to make room for another. I was 
told there are generally here from five to eight ships and ves- 
sels at a time to purchase salt. I lay here twelve days, and 
during that period there were eight brigs and schooners loaded. 
Thus they were daily coming and going, and from the magni- 
tude of the heaps left in the town, I should think there was 
enough to load a very large number of ships, even if they 
should pick no more for a year. But as these poor people have 
no other employment, they will probably go on picking and 
selling salt as their fathers have done, perhaps for ages yet to 
come. 

The American consul here was a Portuguese, a native of 
Lisbon ; he had lived for some years at Rio de Janeiro, and 
was a gentleman of some education and intelligence. I found 
him hospitable and polite. He had a daughter about the age 
of my child, and kindly invited myself and little daughter to his 
house. 

I found the Governor a plain, honest man, and always kind 
and hospitable. There were two or three other merchants here, 
one of whom was quite black ; he was, perhaps, the richest per- 
son on the island, and lived in good style. I dined with him 
on one occasion during my stay here, when in the course of 
conversation he said that he had several correspondents in Eng- 



FIKST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 535 

land, and also in the United States ; and observed to me that he 
often had serious thoughts of visiting the States, but that a 
clamper was thrown on this desire when he was told that black 
and colored people were not much respected there. I evaded 
the subject as much as possible, and merely remarked that there 
certainly was a prejudice against colored persons in the United 
States, still there were those who respected virtuous and intelli- 
gent people of all colors. On this island, as far as I could judge, 
there was no preference or distinction on that account ; white, 
black, and all the intermediate shades were respected alike, 
bating the difference of wealth, talents and education. 

The Cape de Yerd Islands are too well known to the world 
to need any description from me, still I will make a few general 
remarks on the subject, and commence with this island. The 
Isle of May lies in latitude 15° 6' N., longitude 23° 5' W. It is 
about ten miles long and as many broad, or in other words it is 
nearly round. It is of a moderate height ; the harbor is situated 
in a little bay, on the S. W. side, and may, with more propriety, 
be called a port than a secure harbor. The anchorage in this 
little bay is opposite the town, in from seven to twelve fathoms 
of water, and from a half to three quarters of a mile distant 
from the shore. The town lies along the bay, and is composed 
of one church and some seventy or eighty dwelling houses, 
which are generally of a moderate size, and built of stone. 
Some of them, however, occupied by the poorer classes, are 
small and uncomfortable ; these are built of mud, without 
floors, and appear mean and dirty. 

The whole number of inhabitants on the island is about 
1,300, of all colors ; nine-tenths of them are poor, and the others 
only comparatively rich — perhaps there are not six men on the 
island worth $20,000 each, and but two individuals worth over 
that sum. They are a simple, ignorant people, and sadly im- 
posed upon and deceived by those who come here to trade with 
them. They have but little of any thing to sell except salt ; 
they raise a little Indian corn, a few sweet potatoes and melons, 
and also sell some poultry and a few eggs. Fish is abundant 
and cheap, and may be caught without difficulty all around the 
island. 



536 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

There are but few trees, and the land appears burnt and 
parched up with the intense heat of the sun ; the weather is al- 
most always clear at this season of the year. The few clouds 
that one sees in the heavens, are as white as snow, and the sun is 
so bright and powerful as almost to blind the eyes of a stran- 
ger ; and to sum up the whole in one word, I should think it a 
very uncomfortable place for a permanent residence. 

The Cape de Yerd Islands are ten in number, large and 
small, and their names as follows : St. Anthony, St. Yincent, 
St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, Salt Island, Bonavista, Isle of May, St. 
Jago, Fogo and Brava. They are all owned by Portugal, and 
nominally owe allegiance to that nation, and whenever the 
mother country can reap any benefit from them, she is ready to 
do so. The government of Portugal appoints all the governors 
and tax-gatherers, and whenever there is any thing to be gained 
by them, they reap the benefit. The small, poor islands are 
neglected, and whenever they suffer by drought and famine, 
are left to starve, or to look to other countries for support and 
assistance. This certainly is a dark picture of their treatment 
by the mother country, but from the best information I can ob- 
tain, is nevertheless strictly true. Three or four of the largest 
of this group are of some importance to the world in a commer- 
cial point of view. Besides the salt produced at the Isles of 
May, Sol and Bonavista, St. Jago and St. Nicholas produce 
cattle, sheep and goats in great numbers. Independently of the 
large supplies taken from these islands by the men-of-war and 
whalemen of the different nations of Europe and America, many 
cattle, sheep, and swine are shipped from these islands to the 
West Indies. 

Porto Praya, on the south side of St. Jago, is the largest and 
best harbor in the whole group : this is a great stopping place 
for men-of-war and whale ships, and here they obtain water and 
fresh provisions in great abundance, and generally at very rea- 
sonable prices. This is a large, high island, only twelve miles 
from the Isle of May, and contains about 20,000 inhabitants. 
It produces almost all the necessaries of life, and is probably the 
most important of the ten. The Isle of May lies about west 
from Cape Yerd, on the coast of Senegal, Africa, say 320 miles 



FIKST VOYAGE EST THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 537 

distant. During my stay here a small English cutter arrived in 
ballast at this port, three days from Gambia, for a cargo of salt. 
The captain was a polite, gentlemanly man, and kindly present- 
ed my little daughter with a dozen fine oranges brought from 
Africa. Every person on board his vessel was black, except 
himself; he was a native of London, and had made a great 
many voyages in the same vessel between that place and 
Gambia. 

The Cape de Verd Islands often suffer from drought, par- 
ticularly the small ones, where there are but few trees. During 
my stay here, for a period of twelve days, I was kindly treated 
by all classes of people, and found the Governor, my consignee, 
an honest, good man ; from him and the American consul, Don 
L. A. Arango, I received much friendly hospitality. I was also 
indebted to Don S. A. Evora for many civilities ; he was a 
colored man, and one of the principal merchants. 

After loading the Brilliant, and settling all my business at 
this place, we left it, on the 9th of January, 1838, at six o'clock 
in the evening, bound for Bio de Janeiro. 

From the intense heat of the sun, the upper works of the 
Brilliant became very open, and after she was deeply loaded 
with salt, she made a great deal of water. She leaked so much 
the first week out, that it was very painful to see the poor 
sailors labor at the pumps to keep her free. 

I steered to the southward for nine days after leaving the 
Isle of May, with light N. E. trade winds, averaging one hun- 
dred and ten miles distance per day, and on the eighteenth crossed 
the Equator in 27° 53' west longitude. After crossing the line 
we had light, baffling winds, with a strong westerly current set- 
ting us to leeward about one mile the hour for several days, so 
that I began to fear I should not be able to weather the Island 
of Ferdinand de Noronha. This island is a sort of Botany Bay 
for Brazil ; to this place they transport their convicts. It lies in 
latitude 3° 55' south, longitude 32° 35' west. Fortunately for 
us, on the 20th, the wind favored, and on Sunday, the next day, 
at noon, we found ourselves in latitude 4° 9' south, so that we 
passed about sixty or seventy miles to the eastward of Ferdi- 
nand de Noronha. From this period to the 2d of February, we 



538 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG- BRILLIANT. 

continued to have fresh S. E. trades, and met with nothing re- 
markable after leaving the latitude of the Island of Ferdinand 
de Noronha, until we arrived at Rio de Janeiro. We averaged 
one hundred and twenty-nine miles log distance per day, and 
had a continuation of fine weather. We arrived at Rio de Ja- 
neiro on the 2d of February, twenty-two days from the Isle of 
May, and twenty-two from New York to that island, making 
the whole passage out to Rio forty-four days. 

My vessel was visited the next morning by the custom-house 
boat, and permission given me to land. I accordingly went on 
shore, and delivered several introductory letters to sundry mer- 
chants, and conversed with several of my countrymen residing 
at this place. After obtaining the necessary information on 
the subject, I decided to employ the house of Messrs. Maxwell, 
Wright & Co., to assist me in my business. After all the pre- 
liminaries were settled, my brig was removed into the inner 
harbor, and every preparation made to discharge. It would be 
a waste of time and patience to enter into all the details of sell- 
ing a small cargo of salt and noting its delivery ; suffice then 
to say, that in a few days after my arrival, my consignees, 
Messrs. Maxwell, Wright & Co., sold my cargo, at 580 reis the 
alquair, and agreed that it should all be received in twenty days. 
The agreement with respect to the sale and purchase was com- 
plied with, and eventually settled to the mutual satisfaction of 
all parties concerned. 

While we were discharging, I endeavored to procure a 
freight for the Brilliant, either to Europe or the United States, 
but in this desire I did not succeed. After lying several days 
waiting a favorable change, I decided to ballast the brig with 
stone, purchase all the coffee I could with the small amount of 
funds I possessed (this, it will be recollected, consisted in the 
doubloons I brought with me from New York and the avails of 
my salt,) proceed as soon as possible to New Orleans, and try 
my fortune at that place. My cargo measured 8,500 bushels, 
and paid a net freight of fifteen hundred dollars. After paying 
all my port charges, disbursements, commissions, money ad- 
vanced to the crew, etc., I had only enough to purchase 770 
bags of coffee ; each bag weighed 160 pounds net, and cost on 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 539 

board eight and a quarter cents per pound. The whole invoice 
amounted to $10,500. I made all necessary repairs on the 
Brilliant, laid in a good supply of provisions, and got ready for 
sea, well satisfied with the excellent house I had employed; 
and without wishing to detract from the merits of any other 
commercial firm in Bio, I can safely say that Maxwell, Wright 
& Co., is one of the best managed mercantile houses I ever had 
business with, and with pleasure add, that every thing pertain- 
ing to my affairs was transacted to my entire satisfaction. 

Before leaving Rio de Janeiro, I cannot refrain from making 
a few remarks on this great commercial metropolis of Brazil, 
and will commence by saying that Rio lies in the mild latitude 
of 22° 56' south, longitude 43° 14' west of London. It has by 
nature one of the finest harbors to be found on the globe, and 
sufficiently large to contain all the ships in the world ; the en- 
trance into this spacious bay and harbor is only about a mile 
and a quarter wide, having a singular peaked hill or small 
mountain at its mouth, on the southern side, called the Sugar 
Loaf, while on the northern and opposite side, is located a strong 
fort, called Santa Cruz, on moderately high ground, and in a 
very commanding position. After passing the gorge, the bay 
opens beautifully into a wide expanse of pure, still water for 
several miles in extent. On the left, passing up the capacious 
bay, about three miles from its mouth, is located the city of Rio 
de Janeiro, and in front of the city is placed Ilha das Cob'ras. 
It is, perhaps, a mile long, and about a quarter of a mile broad. 
It was doubtless designed by Providence to give double protec- 
tion and security to ships. For all these blessings God requires 
nothing in return but reverence and gratitude. The passage 
between this island and the city is about a quarter of a mile 
wide, and admits small ships and vessels to lie along its whole 
extent. There is also on the outside of the island room for any 
number of large vessels ; line-of-battle ships and frigates gen- 
erally anchor further out in the bay, where there is a greater 
depth of water. 

This extensive bay is beautifully sprinkled with small islands 
and innumerable coves in every direction, all around its shores. 
These little indentations are perfectly smooth and tranquil, each 



540 FIRST VOYAGE EST THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

having a fine, clean sand beach, which renders them the best 
boat harbors that can be imagined, and those who are fond of 
sea-bathing and boat-sailing will find them excel all others in 
charming variety. 

I regret I have not the power of conveying any adequate 
idea of the magnificent scenery around Rio de Janeiro. Its 
prominent features are grand and sublime ; still there are many 
other objects of interest; sailing-boats, and numerous small 
craft constantly pass and repass, which animate and give life 
and freshness to this picturesque scene. Looking to the west- 
ward, far away in the background, the mind is filled with won- 
der and delight on beholding the stupendous Cordilleras tower- 
ing far away above the clouds ; then letting the eye fall from 
these lofty heights and rest on the north shore, every variety 
is seen of the palm, cocoa-nut and orange trees, peculiar to a 
tropical climate, growing luxuriantly, even down to the water's 
edge. Then turn a little to the southward, and you behold hills, 
valleys and small mountains, with their cragged peaks, wild 
barren cliffs and deep ravines, filled with trees and rank veg- 
etation. Turn to any point of the compass, and you are pre- 
sented with an entire new scene, always changing at every step. 
But to see the bay in all its extent and magnificence, I would 
recommend going out to Tejuca, and there from the top of one 
of the mountains six miles from town, one may see the city, bay 
and all the surrounding country spread out like a map at your 
feet. Perhaps there is not in the world a greater variety of 
grand and beautiful scenery than is here presented to the view 
of the beholder. 

There is nothing striking about the city of Rio. It is situ- 
ated on the southwest side of the bay, on rather level ground, at 
the foot of several high hills, and when sailing up the harbor, 
appears well built, and one would imagine it a much finer 
city than it really is. It is, however, a place of great commer- 
cial importance, and probably contains about two hundred 
thousand inhabitants, of all colors — white, black, and all the in- 
termediate shades. I have decided to return to this place soon ' 
and when I shall have become better acquainted with the 
people and the resources' of the country, I will make further re- 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 541 

marks on this subject, and also on the moral and social state of 
society. 

After remaining in Rio thirty-eight days, we sailed on the 
12th of March, bound for New Orleans. "We soon passed out 
by the Sugar Loaf and Fort Santa Crnz, and went to sea in com- 
pany with several other vessels bound to different parts of the 
world. The wind was light, from the E. 1ST. E., and as there 
was considerable swell against us, we made but slow progress 
during this day. 

The next day, at three o'clock in the afternoon we passed 
near Raza, or Flat Island, lying about ten or twelve miles out- 
side of the Sugar Loaf. On this island there is erected a light- 
house, with a fine, revolving light, said to be three hundred feet 
above the level of the sea. It may be seen at a great distance, 
and is one of the finest I ever saw. The wind during the day 
continued light, and the weather very hot. 

From the time of leaving Rio, 1 find nothing worth noticing 
until the 26th ; we generally had light winds from the southeast, 
and fine weather. On that day we made the Brazil coast, in 
the vicinity of Pernambuco ; saw several small craft beating 
along shore to the northward. At noon, the cities of Pernam- 
buco and Olinda bore southwest about twenty miles distant. 
In the afternoon of this day, we counted seventy fishing craft, 
or balsas — called by seamen catamorans ; they are composed of 
some four or five light, buoyant logs, laid parallel with each 
other, and a few cross pieces attached, to hold them together, 
with a mast and sail rigged to them. • They sail in pursuit of 
fish, quite out of sight of land ; they have each a barrel of 
fresh water lashed to the mast, and with a few plantains or some 
other trifling stores, go off on a voyage with the most perfect 
confidence. I ran near two of them, in hopes of purchasing 
some fish, but could not prevail upon any of them to come near 
us. They are a very unsocial race, and appear to avoid inter- 
course with strangers. In all my voyaging along this coast, I 
have never been able to induce these amphibious animals to 
come alongside. In the Pacific, on the coast of Payta and 
Guayaquil, I have made many remarks on these rafts, and 
therefore deem it unnecessary to enlarge upon the subject. 



542 FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

After passing Pernambuco, we continued to steer to the 
northward, and met with nothing worth noticing ■ until the 4th 
of April. In the morning of that day, we fell in with the bark 
Henry, of Salem. This vessel left Rio in company with us, and 
was bound to New- York. As the winds were light, and the 
weather fine, I wrote a few hasty letters to my friends, and sent 
them on board. Not long after this, a fine breeze sprung up, 
when we soon lost sight of each other. We continued on our 
course to the northward, until the 13th, when we made the Island 
of Barbadoes at two o'clock p. m. bearing west, twenty miles dis- 
tant ; fresh breezes at E. N. E., and very squally, rainy weather. 
At four o'clock in the afternoon, we got within four miles of the 
island, and then ran along down on its south side. At seven in 
the evening, we passed near Bridgetown, and saw the shipping 
lying at anchor in that port. The island of Barbadoes is mod- 
erately high, well cultivated, and one of the finest windward 
islands in the West Indies. After leaving Barbadoes the same 
evening, we ran down for St. Lucia, passed between it and St. 
Yincent, and from thence along the south side of St. Domingo ; 
we continued to steer on our course between the north side of 
Jamaica and the south side of Cuba. In this broad passage, we 
found the northeast trade- winds fresh and strong ; and on the 
22d, we hauled to the northward, to pass Cape St. Antonio, ly- 
ing on the west end of Cuba. From this point, we shaped our 
course for the mouth of the Mississippi, and on the 27th entered 
that river, after a short and pleasant passage of forty-five days 
from Rio, without any loss or accident worth noting. We were 
fortunate in obtaining a steamboat to tow us up to New Orleans, 
without delay ; so that on the next day, we got safe up to the 
city. On my arrival, I employed William G. Hewes, Esq., to 
assist me in transacting my business ; and as coffee was high, 
and in demand, Mr. H. soon disposed of it at a fair profit. We 
sold the entire invoice for cash, at thirteen cents per pound ; so 
that the whole of my coffee paid a freight of four dollars and 
fifty cents per bag ; and after deducting insurance, commissions, 
etc., etc., netted a clear freight of three thousand dollars. If, 
while in Rio, I had had sufficient funds to have purchased a full 
cargo, instead of being confined to the seven hundred and sev- 



FIRST VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 543 

enty bags, I should have made a glorious voyage, there being at 
this time but very little in the market. 

Soon after I sold my coffee, I fortunately met here a New 
York friend, in the person of Andrew Foster, Esq., junior. 
This gentleman, who always takes pleasure in the performance 
of good deeds, and is ever ready to serve his friends, kindly in- 
troduced me to Samuel Henshaw, Esq., of Boston, and thus 
through the influence of Mr. F. I obtained a full freight of cot- 
ton for that city. Freights being high at this time in New Or- 
leans, Mr. H. allowed me one cent per pound, with five per 
cent, primage. This gentleman was agent for several large 
commercial houses in Massachusetts, and highly respected for 
his integrity and commercial talent. 

I got the cotton compressed, and by this arrangement was 
enabled to stow six hundred bales under, and eighty bales on 
deck. I also obtained twenty-two tons of lead at two dollars 
per ton ; with this and some other small articles, my freight 
and primage amounted to three thousand dollars. The chief 
mate and crew, who joined the brig at the commencement of 
the voyage in New York, remained with me ; the second mate, 
at his own request, was discharged here, being desirous to 
return direct to his family in New York. To his situation I 
promoted one of the crew, Mr. Richard Hepburn, a talented 
young man, only twenty years of age. After lying here sixteen 
days, we sailed on the 14th of May, bound for Boston. 

We got out of the river the next day, and met with nothing 
remarkable on the passage. On the 8th of June, at daylight in 
the morning, we made the land near Chatham, and ran along 
shore in ten fathoms of water to the light-house on Cape Cod. 
Here I had an excellent opportunity of testing my chronometer; 
and from the mean of several sights, found the instrument only 
differed two seconds after an absence of six months from New 
York ; that is to say from the longitude of Cape Cod light as 
laid down by Bowditch. 

At the time these observations were made, the light-house 
bore due west two miles distant. The next morning we took a 
pilot and in the afternoon got safe to Boston. I here concluded to 
transact my own business, and accordingly entered the Brilliant 




544: FIKST VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BKILLIANT. 

at the custom house, and then notified all the owners and con- 
signees of the cargo that I was ready to deliver their goods. 
It all came out in good order, and I received my freight with- 
out trouble or difficulty. A few days after I ballasted the brig 
with sand, and promoted Mr. Brock, my chief mate, to the com- 
mand ; I also advanced Mr. Hepburn, the second officer, to the 
situation of chief mate. I also furnished Captain Brock with 
gold and silver coin to the amount of eight hundred dollars, to 
purchase coals, and ordered him to proceed to Sydney, Cape 
Breton, for a cargo, and return from thence direct to New York. 
After getting every thing ready, he sailed from Boston on the 
17th of June for Sydney, Nova Scotia. In a few days after the 
Brilliant sailed, I returned to New York to meet my family. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT FROM NEW YORK TO THE ISLE 
OF MAY AND RIO DE JANEIRO, THENCE TO NEW ORLEANS AND CONNEC- 
TICUT, IN THE YEARS 1838 AND 1839. 

REMARKS PRECEDING THE SECOND VOYAGE IN THE SAME VESSEL. 

It will be recollected that the Brilliant left Boston on the 17th of 
June, for Sydney, Nova Scotia, for a cargo of coal, with orders 
to proceed from thence to New York. Captain Brock perform- 
ed this voyage in one month, and after I had disposed of his 
cargo, I dispatched him a second time to the same place. 
"When the necessary preparations were made, he left New York 
for Sydney, on the first of August, 1838. He made this 
voyage without accident, and returned again on the 20th of Sep- 
tember, with a full cargo of coal, which I readily sold. I found 
by experience, that importing coals from Sydney was a poor 
business, and left me but a very small profit; still I preferred 
keeping the Brilliant employed even if I made but little, to 
letting her lie idle, and dry up during the summer months. 

On the first of October of this year, I made an arrangement 
with J. Comrie, Esq., the talented and worthy agent of Messrs. 
Reid, Irving & Co., of London, for a credit of fifteen thousand 
pounds sterling, to purchase coffee at Rio de Janeiro, for the 
New Orleans market, at a commission of one and a half per cent, 
for the use of their credit ; with an agreement that they should 
charge me nothing, if not used. This arrangement I obtained 
through the kind influence of my excellent friends, Messrs. 
Maitland, Kennedy & Co., of New York. For this and many 
35 



546 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BEIO BRILLIANT. 

other friendly favors received from them, they are entitled to 
my warmest gratitude. 

Independently of the credit these gentlemen obtained for 
me from their London friends, they also gave me credit on 
their own house for five thousand pounds, to use or not, accord- 
ing as I should judge best, during my absence. They have 
ever been to me true, sincere and disinterested friends. 

Mr. Comrie and Messrs. Kennedy and Maitland were all 
Scotchmen or descendants of Scotland. Before I proceed 
further in my narrative, I will digress to pay a just tribute to 
their beloved country. 

Scotland, it is true, has not so genial a climate as sunny Italy, 
and many other favored regions of the earth, neither do its 
people generally abound in great wealth or luxurious living like 
their rich neighbors the English, but with all the disadvanta- 
ges of climate, soil and other natural obstacles, their indomi- 
table perseverance and untiring industry have made their island 
the wonder of the world. Their great men, through their whole 
history, have illuminated mankind and left them an undying 
name. Now let me ask, what is the secret of their success ? 
Certainly not their wealth or numbers, for Scotland is but a 
small state of brave men and virtuous women. The grand 
secret, then, is their reliance upon Grod combined with virtuous 
and religious principles, which have exalted them to a high 
place among the nations of the earth. In the eyes of all dis- 
criminating historians, bravery and patriotism have been their 
leading characteristics, and have constituted them a peculiar 
people. 

It has been my good fortune to travel over the greatest 
part of noble old Scotland, and to walk over the battle field of 
Bannockburn. I have made many friends among the Scotch, 
both at home and abroad, and can truly say that in all my 
wanderings about the world, I have never found a more reliable, 
trustworthy people, and none of earth's inhabitants more capa- 
ble of sincere friendship. 

After making all my arrangements for the prosecution of 
another voyage to Eio, I left Captain Brock in charge of the 
Brilliant, with orders to leave as soon as possible, proceed in 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 547 

ballast to the Isle of May, there purchase a cargo of salt, and 
meet me in Rio without delay. Having supplied Captain B. 
with sufficient funds in doubloons to purchase a cargo at the 
Isle of May, I took passage for Rio, on board the brig Himme- 
lah, of New York, Captain Beauvoise. 

The Himmelah was a pilot-boat built brig of two hundred 
tons burthen, and owned by Messrs. William W. De Forest & 
Co. The supercargo was Mr. Joseph Bento, a very worthy, 
intelligent gentleman, and a good merchant. He has since be- 
come an active partner in the respectable house of Corning, 
Bento & Co., in the city of New York. There were four 
cabin passengers besides myself. We had also three French 
passengers who quartered in the forecastle, so that our little 
brig was literally filled, both fore and aft. Our captain was a 
good seaman and a skilful navigator, and performed his duty 
with ability and good sense. 

Owing to contrary and baffling winds, we were forty-two 
days at sea before crossing the equator, in longitude 27° 30' 
west, but after getting fairly into the S. E. trades, we had fresh 
breezes and fine weather, and in eleven days after Grossing the 
line, reached Rio on the twenty-fourth of November, fifty-three 
days from New York. Our passengers were kind and social to 
each other, so that peace and harmony prevailed during the 
whole passage. A few days after our arrival we all dined 
together at a hotel on shore, and parted with mutual good 
wishes. 

I had been here but fifteen days, when Capt. Brock arrived 
with a full cargo of salt ; he left New York on the 13th of Oc- 
tober, and had twenty-two days passage to the Isle of May, from 
thence to this port twenty-two, making together forty-four days. 

Two days after the arrival of the Brilliant, I sold her cargo 
through my friends and consignees, Messrs. Maxwell, Wright & 
Co., all to be received in fifteen days. This cargo paid a freight 
of thirteen hundred dollars, after deducting all charges for com- 
missions, etc., etc. We took on board a little stone ballast, and 
prepared the Brilliant to receive a full cargo of coffee. I found 
it too high to purchase at the then current prices, and therefore 
concluded to delay buying until I could procure a cargo upon 



54:8 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BBIG BRILLIANT. 

more favorable terms. This gave me leisure to become better 
acquainted with the mercantile classes, and to see the metropolis 
of Brazil and its environs. On my last voyage I made several 
remarks on the spacious and magnificent bay of Rio de Janeiro 
and its delightful scenery. At Rio, though the climate is gener- 
ally hot, it is still a heathful location, owing, I suppose, to its 
immediate proximity to the ocean, and the dryness of the at- 
mosphere. This city is very irregularly built ; the old part re- 
sembles its model, Lisbon. 

A great portion of the people, I fear, inherit the filthy habits 
and idle propensities of their ancestors. In this city, as in Lis- 
bon, if the climate were not extremely healthful, its inhabitants 
would soon die with the plague, as a great proportion of the 
filth is thrown into the streets and along the bay side. In this 
respect, however, I am told they are improving ; within a few 
years, many strangers have come here to reside. There are at 
present several English, French, American and German mer- 
chants living here with their families ; these all tend to refine 
and civilize the inhabitants, who originally came from a de- 
generate stock. There are several streets and squares in the 
new part of the city, that appear very well ; many of the houses 
of the richer classes are well built and comfortable residences. 

The city contains about forty churches, but few of them, 
however, will compare with those of Europe or North Ame- 
rica. 

At this period the little Emperor was a fine-looking boy, 
with a light complexion ; of course he acted under a Regent, 
but expected soon to take the reins of government into his own 
hands. His title was Don Pedro II. ; he inherited the pal- 
ace of his father, called Christovao ; this Imperial residence 
is situated about three miles from town. There is also another 
government palace on one of the principal squares, near the bay 
side ; this is a large, irregular pile of buildings, occupying one 
side of it. It has been enlarged and rebuilt, from time to time, 
and now presents a heterogeneous style of architecture, unlike 
any other I ever saw. It is not occupied as a permanent resi- 
dence by the Emperor and royal family, but only used on pub- 
lic days, and fetes of ceremony. It contains several large halls 



SECOND VOYAGE LN THE BEIG BRILLIANT. 549 

and reception rooms, which are here used for the transaction of 
public business, as are town halls in other countries. During 
ray stay here, I witnessed a grand fete given by the government 
in honor of the Emperor's birthday. He was born on the 2d 
of December, 1825, consequently he was on this day, thirteen 
years old. In the morning, firing was heard from the forts and 
ships-of-war lying in port ; all the military, both the regular 
troops and the national guards, were assembled in their best 
uniforms. Triumphal arches were erected, and green boughs 
and orange leaves profusely covered the principal street leading 
to the palace. About noon, amid the roaring of cannon and 
the ringing of bells, was seen entering the city the royal cortege, 
preceded by the military with banners and bands of music. In 
the first state coach, drawn by six black mules, were placed the 
little Emperor and his high officers of state ; next, his two 
sisters with their maiden aunt, then the ladies of honor and 
royal household, all in coaches. After them followed, in the 
royal train, carriages filled with ladies and gentlemen, I suppose 
of high distinction. A long line of gentlemen of all colors, 
mounted on horseback, brought up the rear. 

The houses on both sides of the principal streets through 
which the procession passed, were filled with the inhabitants in 
their best holiday dresses, while the ladies from the windows 
and balconies waved their white handkerchiefs, and threw bou- 
quets of flowers into the coaches of the Imperial Family, as they 
moved slowly forward towards the palace. The streets were 
filled with dense masses of human beings, of every variety of 
color. No two were exactly of the same shade except the 
blacks. Perhaps some idea may be formed of this mongrel race, 
by saying there was every diversity of tint between the crow- 
black and the pure white, and this assemblage is a fair speci- 
men of the people of Brazil. 

At length the Emperor and the whole procession arrived at 
the palace. There the foreign ambassadors, consuls, captains 
of ships-of-war and their officers, were presented to him and his 
sisters, who were fine-looking, genteel young ladies. 

Among the officers of the army were white and black ma- 
jors, colonels, generals and other official dignitaries, with their 



550 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BEIG- BRILLIANT. 

croix d'honneur attached to their button-holes, all moving about 
in the assemblee without any apparent distinction of color. The 
troops of the line, and the militia, or national guards, comprised 
also every variety of shade. In fine, to a stranger, it was a 
novel sight to witness such a grand display among this mixed 
race of human beings ; and to one accustomed to see the move- 
ments of the royal families of France and England upon like 
occasions, this exhibition appeared like a perfect farce, or bur- 
lesque ; still, it is, perhaps, as good a government as they ought 
to expect until they become more enlightened. 

From all I could learn on the subject of morals and religion, 
they were in a very low state, both here and in most other parts 
of the empire. Their navy consisted at this period of one line- 
of-battle ship, the Don Pedro, five frigates, six sloops-of-war 
and a few steamboats, all badly appointed and equipped, and in 
a miserable state of discipline. Whenever a few ships- of -war 
are required to proceed to Bahia, or any other port on the coast, 
to put down a revolt or rebellion, they are obliged to impress 
sailors for the occasion. It cannot, therefore, be expected that 
such men will fight, except by compulsion. If their army is as 
badly organized as their navy, I should think they would make 
but a feeble resistance in defending their metropolis against any 
powerful maritime nation. 

From my remarks upon the military and social condition of 
this empire, it may appear that I am prejudiced against the 
nation, and do not treat the subject with impartiality. In an- 
swer to this, I aver that I have no prejudice against them, but 
feel bound, as a stranger, to relate the truth to the best of my 
abilities. As a friend to the human race, I hope they may re- 
form and become a wiser and a better nation, though I fear it 
will require many generations. 

They are so deeply imbued with ignorance and superstition, 
and so firmly wedded to obsolete religious mummeries, that 
it will take a great many years to transform them to a great 
people. 

The beautiful gardens and residences in the immediate 
vicinity of Rio, form one of its most agreeable features. A 
large portion of the foreign merchants reside in the country, and 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 551 

are spread around some eight or ten miles from the city. There 
the j enjoy more tranquillity, fresher and purer air than they 
could find in the town. The shrubbery, fruits and flowers are 
exceedingly fragrant and fine ; all the tropical fruits grow here 
in great abundance ; the melons and oranges in particular, are 
as delicious as in any part of the world. 

The foreign merchants and gentlemen who reside in their 
country-houses, come to the city in the cool of the morning to 
attend to their business, dine in town, and then return home in 
the evening, to avoid the intense heat of the noonday's sun. 
Thus they manage to enjoy the society of each other, and live 
better and with more comfort than they could possibly do in 
town. About six miles to the southward of Rio, near the sea, 
is a spacious botanical garden, belonging to the government ; 
it covers about four acres of ground, and is certainly a beauti- 
ful place, and kept in fine order ; it contains many exotics, and 
among others, a great variety of the tea-plant imported from 
China. The commerce of Rio has increased within the last 
fifteen or twenty years from apparent insignificance to vast im- 
portance. Their grand staple of exportation, coffee, has within 
a few years gradually augmented from a few hundred bags to 
the enormous amount of a million, or more, which are annually 
exported from this city to different parts of the world ; each 
bag is computed at 160 pounds, English weight, but I have 
generally found them to contain 162 upon an average. 

Besides this immense amount of coffee, there are annually 
shipped from this port large quantities of sugar, hides, rice, to- 
bacco, tapioca, ipecacuanha and other articles of commerce. 
The increase of coffee is owing to the immense extent of rich 
lands spreading far and wide over this productive region ; add 
to this the facility these people have enjoyed for many years in 
procuring black slaves from the coast of Africa. They have 
imported into Brazil from three hundred thousand to half a 
million per annum, and, until lately, without any kind of ob- 
struction. The proximity of this coast to the shores of Africa 
renders the importation of negroes to this country extremely 
easy ; with constant and favorable winds, they are enabled to 
perform the passage in ten or fifteen days, and dispose of their 



552 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

slaves at reasonable prices ; so that with these facilities the 
planters may cultivate coffee to any extent. What effect the 
interruption or interference of the European powers with the 
slave trade will have on its cultivation in Brazil, remains to be 
proved, hereafter. The importation of negroes and mixing up 
of the races, appear to degenerate and debase the white man, 
without elevating the black. 

Nature has done much for Rio, and the people have accom- 
plished something for themselves, though they should have 
done much more ; they have partially supplied the city with 
pure water by an aqueduct from a neighboring hill, called the 
Corcovado. It is conveyed to fountains in different parts of the 
town, and as far as it goes, is good and useful, but the quantity 
is too limited. It should have been conducted in pipes, to all 
parts of the city, and into private houses. The shipping are 
badly supplied, and have frequently to wait for hours, and meet 
with great difficulty in getting what they require. At the 
main fountain, near the Grand Palace, where they are furnish- 
ed, there is a perfect throng of men and boats waiting turns, 
and what with the noise and confusion of tongues, it is a 
perfect Babel. 

Among the public buildings worthy of notice are the Mer- 
chants' Exchange and a new Theatre ; these are handsome edifi- 
ces. The National Museum is well filled, and worth the atten- 
tion of strangers. 

The market consists of a collection of filthy booths for the 
sale of vegetables, which are generally abundant and cheap. 
Butchers' meat is sold in shops scattered about the town, and 
at reasonable prices. Beef here, as in other hot climates, is 
but indifferent. Young goats and kids are good, fresh pork 
is soft and unpalatable. Fish are abundant, excellent and 
cheap. 

There are very few hotels in Bio, and none of any note kept 
by the natives of the country ; there is one kept by a French- 
man, near the Grand Plaza, fronting the water, which is a 
pretty good house ; but in general, strangers are miserably ac- 
commodated ; they can scarcely get a good dinner, except at 
the table of some resident foreigner. The gentlemen merchants 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 553 

here are always polite and hospitable to strangers ; their houses 
are ever open to respectable persons ; and were it not for their 
kindness, a visitor at Rio would find himself very much at a loss 
for society, and even for the ordinary comforts of civilized life. 
In consequence of the great influx of Africans into this country 
for several years past, the blacks have become so numerous, 
that the whole nation have adopted the policy of amalgamation, 
for their own security. Though they consent to mix their blood 
with the black race, they all unite upon the broad principle of 
sustaining slavery to the letter and to the spirit. For example : 
if a slave (wnich is frequently the case) acquire sufficient money 
to purchase his freedom, he is allowed the privilege of doing 
so ; and as soon as the emancipated negro acquires enough 
means to purchase one, he does it, and by this act unites him- 
self with the slave-holding aristocracy to sustain the system. 
Thus it becomes the interest of the whole community to sup- 
port this institution, which is here carried out to its full extent, 
even among some of the richer classes. If a white man should 
lose his wife by death, and she should have been a white wo- 
man, by whom he may have had children, his next wife may 
perhaps be quite black, and his third, yellow ; so that, in the 
same family, it is not uncommon to see three sorts of children, 
all of different shades. In the churches, and in the first boxes 
in the theatre, I have seen every variety of color, mixed up in 
perfect harmony, and have frequently accepted the polite offer 
of the snuff-box from a black gentleman, as readily as I should 
have done from a white one, and have found this to be the ordi- 
nary custom among the elite of Rio. 

After stating these facts, I deem it unnecessary to enlarge 
upon the moral and social state of society, but will leave every 
intelligent person to judge for himself. It is not from a few of 
the upper classes, or leaders, that one can form a just idea of a 
nation ; on the contrary,' he must look into the condition of the 
great body of the people, to arrive at a correct opinion. 

The price of coffee had now declined to a point that enabled 
me to buy a cargo of that article, through my friends and con- 
signees, Messrs. Maxwell, "Wright & Co. Accordingly, on the 
1st of January, 1839, we commenced purchasing, and in the 



554 SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 

course of a few days, bought the whole amount, comprising 
three thousand bags, and in three or four days had it all shipped, 
in good order, on board the Brilliant. This cargo was all bought 
for my own account ; and cost when on board — all charges 
paid — eight cents per pound, or say a fraction over $13 per bag. 
I paid for this coffee in bills on Messrs. Beid, Irving & Co., of 
London. These bills of exchange amounted to the gross sum of 
eight thousand one hundred and thirty pounds sterling, or, in 
round numbers, forty-one thousand dollars. 

We soon purchased all our sea-stores, and left Eio on the 
12th of January, bound for New Orleans. After leaving port, 
we stood off to the southward and eastward, for two days — 
having met with a strong gale from the eastward, near Cape 
Frio — but on the third day it moderated, when we tacked ship, 
steered to the northward, weathered the Cape, and fortunately 
met with favorable breezes from the southeast for several days, 
and proceeded rapidly on our course. 

I find nothing in my journal worth noticing until we made 
the land about Cape St. Augustine, and the next day saw the 
cities of Pernambuco and Olinda. After passing these places, 
we had light but favorable breezes from the southeast ; and when 
we struck the northeast trades, strong gales and squally weather 
prevailed for several days. I took the same track on this pas- 
sage as on the last voyage, namely, to the Island of Barbadoes, 
from thence ran down between the Islands of St. Lucia and St. 
Yincent, then down the south sides of Porto Bico and St. Domin- 
go, and so along the passage between Cuba and Jamaica. After 
passing Cape St. Antonio, we hauled to the northward for the 
mouth of the Mississippi, at which place we arrived, without any 
accident, on the, 5th of March, and two days after got safe up 
to New Orleans. Here I met with a good market for my coffee, 
and in the course of eight or ten days sold the whole cargo, 
through my friends, Messrs. William O. Hewes & Co., at an 
average price of eleven and a half cents per pound, or, say sev- 
enteen dollars and twenty-six cents, per bag. The whole invoice 
netted the round sum of fifty-one thousand seven hundred dol- 
lars ; so that, after paying the commissions, insurance, and all 
other charges, it gave me a clear freight of three dollars per 



SECOND VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 555 

bag — making on the whole invoice nine thousand dollars. In 
a few days after discharging my coffee, I obtained from Samuel 
Henshaw, Esq., a full freight of cotton for Hartford, Connecti- 
cut, at the rate of three-fourths of a cent per pound, with five 
per cent, primage. I had it compressed, and was therefore en- 
abled to take six hundred and seventy-four bales. The total 
amount of my freight and primage, was two thousand and forty- 
eight dollars ; added to this, I had four cabin and three steerage 
passengers. On the 4th of April we left New Orleans in tow 
of a steamboat, and steered down the river, bound to Hartford. 
I had been but twenty-seven days in this city, during which 
time I had sold a cargo of coffee, settled all my business, obtain- 
ed a full freight of cotton, and was now on my way home, with 
a fine prospect of making an excellent voyage. A few days be- 
fore leaving port, I discharged Mr, George Brock, my chief 
mate, and promoted my second mate, Mr. Richard Hepburn, to 
his situation — Mr. H. being an active, efficient officer, and a 
young man of decided talent. 

We got safe to sea the same evening after leaving New Or- 
leans, and met with no incident worth recording during the pas- 
sage. "We made Montauk Point on the 24th of April. In the 
afternoon of the same day, we arrived at Say brook, at the mouth 
of the Connecticut River, after a pleasant passage of twenty 
days. The next day all my passengers took a steamboat for 
New- York, well pleased with their voyage. 

As there was not sufficient water for the Brilliant to enter 
the river, I hired a sloop to take about a hundred bales of cot- 
ton up to Hartford ; this lightened the brig enough to pass the 
bar ; so that in a few days we got safe up to Essex, seven miles 
above the mouth of the river, where we discharged the residue 
of our cotton into large flat boats, or scows, and by these craft 
it was transported to Hartford. In a few days after, I collected 
the freight, and discharged all the crew of the Brilliant, except 
the second mate, whom I retained as ship-keeper. 

Essex is a considerable village, lying on the west bank of the 
Connecticut River. 

I returned to my family, in New- York, on the 15th of May, 



556 SECOND VOYAGE IN" THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

and settled the voyage, namely : from New York to the Isle of 
May, Kio de Janeiro and New Orleans, and from that port to 
Saybrook, comprising a period of seven months — during which 
time the net gains on the salt and coffee, with what I cleared 
on the freight of cotton, left me a clear sum of ten thousand 
dollars, after paying every expense. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

THIRD VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT, FROM SAYBROOK TO SYDNEY, N. S., 
THENCE TO PHILADELPHIA, IN THE YEAR 1839. 

My young mate, Mr. Richard Hepburn, was an active, efficient 
officer, and on the first of June I promoted him to the command 
of the Brilliant. I also advanced the second mate, Mr. Peter 
Hanson, to the situation of chief mate. I had decided to send 
the brig to Sydney, for another load of coals for the New York 
market, and as seamen and ship stores could not readily be ob- 
tained at Saybrook, Captain Hepburn shipped a crew, and pur- 
chased all necessary sea stores in New York, and proceeded 
with them in a steamboat to Saybrook, where he joined the 
Brilliant. He forthwith ballasted the brig, and got ready for 
sea. It being a fine season of the year, I subsequently con- 
cluded to go with him and make a voyage to Nova Scotia. "We 
left Saybrook in the morning on the 27th of June, and with a 
moderate breeze and ebb tide, soon passed Gull Island ; at three 
o'clock in the afternoon we took our departure from Montauk 
Point, and stood out to sea. As usual at this season of the year, 
we had light winds and fine weather for several consecutive 
days ; we passed just outside of Nantucket south shoal, and then 
near the southern edge of George's Bank, and from thence to 
the eastward along the coast of Nova Scotia, not far from 
Halifax. 

On the 4th of July we had strong breezes from the S. "W., 
with foggy, damp and comparatively cold weather. Our large 
pea-jackets and gloves were very agreeable. At five o'clock in 
the afternoon we made the land, namely, the Island of Cape 



558 THIED VOYAGE IN THE BEIG BEILLIANT. 

Breton, not far from old Louisburg. Here we found strong 
gales at S. S. W., with thick, foggy weather, so that we were 
obliged to reef topsails, and stand off and on all night under 
easy sail. 

The next day we had a continuation of the same weather ; 
we therefore deemed it unsafe to approach the land, and were 
groping about in a dense fog during forty hours, without being 
able to get an observation of the sun. On the 7th the wind 
moderated, and the weather clearing a little, we made Flint 
Island, six miles distant. This island lies near the main land of 
Cape Breton, and is an excellent landmark for Sydney. Near 
this place and all along the shore, we saw great numbers of 
boats employed in catching codfish ; one of them came along- 
side, and supplied us with eight or ten large ones for half a dol- 
lar. These fish are so abundant, that the fishermen set but little 
value upon them : two men can catch a large boat load in a few 
hours. 

Halibut are also extremely abundant in this region and all 
along the coast of Cape Breton. Great numbers of men obtain 
a living by the cod fishery ; they employ themselves during the 
spring and summer months by taking fish in boats, and drying 
(or making them), as it is here called, on the shore, near where 
they are caught. 

In the fall of the year, say in October, and in the early part 
of November, they are brought to market, either to Sydney or 
some other considerable town, and from these places are ship- 
ped to ports in the Mediterranean, and also to the West India 
Islands. The codfish taken here and at Newfoundland, when 
preserved and cured, are said to be the best in the world, and 
bear a higher price in Spain and other foreign countries than 
those from any part of the globe. This morning we passed 
near Scattery ; this is a singular little island, quite bare of trees, 
and an excellent landmark for, vessels bound to Sydney. We 
continued to sail along shore towards the harbor, and as the 
weather had now become clear and pleasant, we had a fine view 
of the coast ; the land was moderately high, and had rather a 
barren appearance. At noon this day we got off the mouth of 
the harbor, where we took a pilot near the light-house, but as 



THIRD VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 559 

the wind was contrary, we did not reach Sydney nntil three 
o'clock in the afternoon, which made our passage nine days from 
Saybrook. The day after being Sunday, we made it a day of 
lest; I dined with my correspondents, Messrs. Archibald, who 
are the principal merchants at this place. 

At the table of our host, I met six or eight gentlemen, all 
English, except one American and myself; they were all social, 
polite, and intelligent. There were no ladies present, Mr. A. 
being at this time a bachelor ; he lived in good style, and was 
very urbane and agreeable. 

Towards evening I returned on board the Brilliant, pleased 
with the kind hospitality of Mr. A., and with' my first acquaint- 
ance with Sydney, and mentally said, let a man wander to what- 
ever part of the world he may, he will always find some good 
and agreeable people. Kindness and social hospitality are not 
confined to any country or clime, but spring up like good seed, 
and bear fruit even in the cold and foggy regions of the north. 
While on the eve of loading the Brilliant, I was offered a freight 
of coals for Philadelphia, which I considered a little more con- 
ducive to my interest than purchasing for my own account. I 
accordingly accepted the offer and forthwith commenced load- 
ing for that city. 

As I had an efficient captain to attend to the Brilliant, it 
gave me sufficient leisure to explore Sydney, its environs, and 
also to visit the coal mines. 

These mines are situated about two miles from Sydney, on 
the north side of the harbor, not far ' from the sea. They are 
owned by a company in England, and wrought by agents living 
at this place. There is a railroad from the pits to the wharves, 
where the ships and vessels lie to receive the coal. At the pits 
it is put into large cars containing two chaldrons each, with 
their bottoms so arranged with hinges as to open directly into 
the hatchway of the ship ; in this way it is rapidly taken on 
board. I took two hundred chaldrons into my brig in the 
course of six hours. A large ship of five or six hundred tons 
burthen, by receiving coal at two hatchways, can take in a full 
cargo in a day ; and if it could be stowed away as fast as it 
can be put on board, a large ship might be loaded in a very 



560 THIRD VOYAGE IK THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 

few hours ; the only delay is to keep the hatchways clear to 
receive it. I visited the mines, and found immense quantities 
of it lying in large heaps at and near the mouths of the pits. 
This coal is similar to the Liverpool, but not quite so bitu- 
minous ; it burns freely, but consumes quicker than the Orrel. 
It appeared that the greatest difficulty the owners or agents of 
the mines had to contend with, was to dispose of it; they 
can dig out almost any quantity, if they could find a ready 
market. . 

During the four or five days that I remained here, there 
were some eight or ten vessels loaded with coal, viz., two ships 
from Boston, and several brigs and schooners from other parts 
of the United States, besides sundry small coasting vessels from 
Halifax and Newfoundland. Perhaps if the price was reduced 
to a lower scale, more vessels would come here to purchase it, 
but whether the owners of the mines can afford to sell it lower, 
I am not able to say. At any rate it is a great source of wealth 
and comfort, to have such an abundant supply of this neces- 
sary article in this dreary climate, during the long and severe 
winter months. Independently of these considerations, the 
coal mines directly or indirectly give employment to hun- 
dreds, or perhaps thousands, who otherwise would find nothing 
to do. 

Thus one is led to reflect on the bounty and wisdom of God 
in His provisions for man in almost every part of the globe. 
Here, in this cold region, where genial suns and fertile lands 
are denied those who inhabit this country, the surrounding seas 
and rivers are filled with excellent fish ; and though the sum- 
mers are short and the soil not rich, it is sufficiently good to 
produce abundance of the best quality of potatoes, while the 
bowels of the earth are charged with bituminous coal, which 
may be purchased very low, so that a poor man with the 
least industry may live and support his family comfortably. 
He can provide his fish and potatoes in the summer, and pur- 
chase his coal with but little labor. Still, with all these bless- 
ings at hand, one meets with much poverty and moral deg- 
radation. 

And considering the many bounties here bestowed upon man, 



THIRD VOYAGE IN THE BBIG BRILLIANT. 561 

methinks I hear the inquiry, What, then, is the cause of this sad 
state of things, and why are the people so poor, ignorant and 
debased ? The answer is short but true, Rum ! Rum ! or alcohol 
in some shape or other. This is the bane that poisons and pol- 
lutes the pure, moral and social state of society ; and although 
the upper classes are so polite, well bred and hospitable, I am 
constrained to say I fear they do not adhere to temperance as 
much as they ought. If they would set the example of strict 
and total abstinence, I think a great reform would soon take 
place, and that temperance and sobriety would soon banish the 
low and drunken debauchery which now debases and degrades 
the working classes in this region. This colony is England on 
a small scale ; the rich and educated live well, and are abun- 
dantly supplied with all the necessaries and most of the luxuries 
of life, while the great mass of English, Scotch and Irish em- 
igrants are poor and wretchedly debased. The contrast between 
the working-classes of New England and this place, is as great 
as can well be imagined. In Massachusetts and Connecticut 
there are no marks of extreme poverty ; all appear well clothed 
and well fed ; here poverty and drunkenness riot without shame 
or remorse. 

The face of the country about Sydney is undulating, and I 
may add, rather hilly ; in many of the valleys, the ground is 
somewhat productive, and though the warm season is short, 
still, I am told, it is a pretty good grazing country. The inhab- 
itants not only supply themselves with all the butter and cheese 
they require, but export considerable quantities to the West 
Indies. Sydney is a small town, containing probably about 
one hundred and fifty houses ; the richer classes have large 
and comfortable gardens attached, and as the streets are wide, 
the place has a respectable appearance. It probably numbers 
about five or six hundred inhabitants, exclusive of those who 
live near the coal mines. There are also many farm-houses in 
the vicinity of the town for several miles in extent, and in the 
summer season the country has a pleasant aspect. The most 
striking feature of the place to a stranger, is the abundance of 
fish. Cod and halibut come quite into the port of Sydney, and 
may be taken with but little labor, or purchased for a trifling 
36 



562 THIRD VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

sum of money. Besides the fish taken in the bays and harbors 
all along the coast, the lakes and rivers abound with them, so 
that, in a word, this is the greatest country for the finny tribe 
that I have ever visited. 

During my sojourn here, I strolled to the camp of an Indian 
tribe ; they were in a pleasant grove, not far from the town. 
There were perhaps one hundred men, women and children, all 
employed making baskets, moccasins and other articles for use 
or ornament. They were comfortably clad and behaved with 
great propriety. I purchased a quantity of baskets, and found 
them social and friendly ; they were generally good-looking, and 
some of the young women even handsome. 

I have every reason to speak well of Sydney, for, during my 
short stay here, I received a great deal of hospitality and kind 
attention from several families, particularly from the Messrs. 
Archibald, also from Captain Barrington and his family, for 
which I shall ever hold them in grateful remembrance. 

I have, within a few months, had the pleasure of enjoying 
three spring seasons ; being in New Orleans during the month 
of March, I partook of green peas, strawberries and other early 
fruits, and saw many fragrant flowers in full bloom. 

I was in New York and Connecticut during the month of 
May; there I also enjoyed another spring, and here I am in 
the midst of still another, notwithstanding it is now the 10th of 
July. I have been gradually moving northward, from the hot 
suns of New Orleans to the cold fogs of Nova Scotia, and du- 
ring the greater portion of the time, have been favored with fine 
weather. Notwithstanding I met with cold and damp fogs for 
several days before entering the port of Sydney, it has been re- 
markably fine and clear during my stay here. 

On the 11th of July we finished loading the Brilliant, got 
all our stores on board and made ready for sea. 

While lying at anchor this day, two female Indians came 
off from the shore in a beautiful bark canoe. It was so light and 
buoyant that it sat like a gull on the water, and was truly a fine 
specimen of exquisite workmanship. The younger of these fe- 
males was a fine model of feminine simplicity and artless beauty : 
her long black hair was gracefully braided ; in front it was 



THIKD VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 563 

parted sufficiently to show a light brown forehead, with jet black 
eyes and regular features, that might serve as a model for a 
sculptor to imitate the perfection of the human form. Her dress 
was made close around the waist, and so arranged as to show a 
full bust ; and thus with close, ornamented pantaloons, and high- 
wrought moccasins, was gracefully seated, at her ease, this 
simple child of Nature. We may call her a savage, and sneer 
at her want of elegance and taste, but has she no charms to 
kindle the flame of love in the human bosom ? A fine lady, it 
is true, may excel her in the gaudy decorated drawing-room, 
but can she balance herself with perfect ease, confidence and 
grace, in this exquisite boat, that a two-pound weight would 
overturn in unskilful hands ? can she manage the frail canoe, 
force it through the water with an arrow's speed — and anon let 
it gently float like a swan on its peaceful bosom ? To complete 
the picture, and add a new charm to the scene, was their gentle 
deportment. When I invited them on board, they modestly 
declined, but spread out before them a variety of little articles 
of their own production, many of which were prettily made and 
gracefully displayed ; slight little parti-colored baskets, slippers 
and other ornamented trifles, exquisitely wrought and tastefully 
exhibited. There was no importunity on their part to induce 
me to purchase ; they patiently waited my pleasure to take 
what I desired, and leave the rest. I was so captivated with 
these children of the forest, that I purchased their whole stock, 
asking but one simple question, " how much does the whole ot 
these beautiful articles amount to ? " Had this scene occurred 
some twenty-five years earlier, when I was a single man, I 
should have been led a willing captive into the forest, with this 
child of Nature. Mark Anthony abandoned fame and country 
for the beauty of Egypt's Queen — her barge was so magnificent, 
and herself so beautiful, that the gorgeous spectacle, combined 
with sweet music, overpowered the ambition of the warrior and 
rendered him a captive slave to the allurements of this luxurious 
queen. I too should have been overpowered and subdued, not 
by the gorgeous display of refined art and magnificent splendor, 
but by the simplicity and purity of unsophisticated life, among 
the wild scenes of nature. I would there have taken lessons 



564: THIRD VOYAGE IN THE BEIG BRILLIANT. 

from my sylvan queen, how to manage the birch bark canoe, 
and to thread my devious way through the pathless woods. 
This may, perhaps, appear to some, like a high- wrought descrip- 
tion of two Indian girls in a bark canoe ; but I assure them that 
it is not ; on the contrary, it falls far short of the truth, and is 
but a tame representation of the whole scene. 

The next day, we sailed out of Sydney, bound for Philadel- 
phia, and at six o'clock in the afternoon got outside of the light- 
house at the mouth of the harbor, where we discharged our pilot, 
and steered on our course to the southward. 

The next day, we passed near Flint Island ; the winds 
being light, we caught six codfish ; — the weather was too thick 
and foggy to get the latitude by the sun, but as we now had sea- 
room enough to navigate, we could make our way along shore 
without knowing our exact position. "We continued sailing and 
beating about, from the 13th to the 17th of July, without seeing 
land, or being able to get an observation of the sun ; and dur- 
ing the whole of the time the weather was dark and foggy, 
attended with a damp mist. On the 17th it cleared up a little, 
when there were eight brigs and schooners in sight ; we spoke 
one of them, an English brig, seven days from Pictou, bound 
to Boston. At ten o'clock this morning, we saw a schooner at 
anchor, fishing in 38 fathoms of water ; we ran down near her, 
hove to and put out our lines. In the course of an hour, we 
caught three halibut and some twenty or thirty large codfish ; 
one of the halibut weighed over one hundred pounds, the other 
two, about sixty each. I have found during this voyage, that 
wherever we could find bottom on any of the banks along the 
coast of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, we could always catch 
plenty of fish. 

From this period until the 2d of August, for fifteen days, I 
find nothing but a history of the winds and weather, taking in 
and making sail, and a continued account of reefing, tacking, 
wearing ship, etc., etc., terms altogether uninteresting except to 
nautical men, and even to them there is too much monotony to 
interest where the gales are not severe enough to carry away a 
mast or split a maintopsail into ribbons. Seafaring men love 
to read of tempests and storms, water-spouts and tornadoes; 



THIRD VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 565 

but the dull routine of calm, baffling weather is too tame to 
raise the pulse or send the blood with a rush to the heart ; they 
therefore skip over these scenes and feed on something more 
bold and daring — such, for example, as a boat having been 
broken to pieces by the tail of a whale, and the whole crew 
escaped by swimming on oars and broken pieces of the wreck. 

As the firing of cannon and the sound of martial music ani- 
mate and excite the heart of a soldier, so, in like manner, the 
howling of the tempest and the roaring of thunder animate the 
soul of a true son of Neptune, and prompt him to deeds of noble 
daring, such as saving the crew of a sinking ship. As I have 
here no such scenes to record, I will return to my dull narra- 
tive. 

On the 2d of August, at two o'clock in the afternoon, we 
took on board Mr. C, a Cape May pilot, and stood in shore. 
At nine in the evening, we made Cape May light, and at ten 
next morning, passed near Cape Henlopen. The weather be- 
came thick and rainy, so that we were obliged to run under 
easy sail, and feel our way along by the land ; the wind shifted 
to the S. E. at two o'clock in the afternoon, and blew a strong 
gale from that quarter. At three p. m. we ran in and made a 
good harbor under the lee of the breakwater, where we lay all 
night, in company with some twenty or thirty sail of ships, 
brigs and schooners. While lying here at anchor in five 
fathoms of water, safe from all winds, I fully realized the strong 
protecting arm of the United States government, in constructing 
this fine harbor, to save the lives of seamen, and the property 
of all classes of our common country. After passing a comfort- 
able night in this smooth and peaceful haven, we made sail in 
the morning, at eight o'clock, and commenced beating up the 
bay, with the wind from the northward, which continued con- 
trary for two days ; this prolonged our passage, so that we did 
not arrive at Philadelphia until Tuesday, August the 6th, mak- 
ing it twenty-four days from Sydney. 

The Brilliant was deeply loaded, and we had adverse winds 
almost all the way, which rendered the passage long and tedious, 
and, to add to my disappointment, the consignee, to whom the 
coal was addressed, refused to receive it and pay the freight, so 



566 THIRD VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BKJLLIANT. 

that I was compelled to employ a commission house, Messrs. 
Grant and Stone, to sell the coal for my account, and secure the 
freight, which was at the rate of four dollars the chaldron, and 
amounted to something over $800. "We sold it to a gas com- 
pany, and when the freight, commissions, demurrage and other 
just charges were paid, I placed the balance accruing from the 
sale of the coal, in the hands of Messrs. Gr. & S., to be paid over 
to the party best entitled to it according to law. This was no 
business of mine ; I agreed to perform a certain duty for a 
specific sum, and as the parties would not pay me for perform- 
ing my part of the contract, I sold the cargo, paid myself and 
handed over the balance to the shippers ; the result was that I 
took the proper steps in the premises, and was justified in so 
doing, on the final decision of the case in a court of justice. 

After discharging the coal and settling the voyage, I paid 
off the crew, laid up the brig Brilliant under the charge of Cap- 
tain Eichard Hepburn, and when every necessary arrangement 
was made, left Philadelphia on the 20th of August and returned 
home to my family. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

FOURTH AND LAST VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT, FROM NEW YORK TO 
RIO DE JANEIRO, THENCE TO NEW ORLEANS, IN THE YEARS 1840 AND 
1841. 

On my return home to Connecticut from Rio and New Orleans, 
on the 24th of April, I concluded to employ the Brilliant in the 
freighting business, and, with this object in view, I appointed 
my late mate Mr. Richard Hepburn, to command her. He had 
made one voyage from Philadelphia to Sydney, N. S., another 
to New Orleans and Marseilles, thence to New York, where he 
arrived on the 13th of July, 1840. As the Brilliant required 
a thorough overhauling, I forthwith placed her in the carpen- 
ter's hands, where she was faithfully calked and repaired ; I 
also prepared a new suit of sails, boats, cordage and everything 
else necessary to perform another voyage to Rio. After mature 
deliberation, I made an arrangement with a commercial friend 
in New York, and with my friends, Messrs. W. G. Hewes & 
Company, of New Orleans, to be interested with me in the pur- 
chase of a full cargo of coffee at Rio. Having thus far been 
fortunate on my late voyages, I began to fear a reaction, and 
thought it best to act a prudent part. I therefore agreed with 
Messrs. Hewes & Co., to take 1,600 bags for their account, and 
with my commercial friend, to take 600 ; this left me but one 
thousand for my own account. With these gentlemen I made 
an agreement that I should receive one dollar per bag, freight, 
with five per cent, primage, and that the whole cargo should be 
consigned to my friends in New Orleans, they receiving the 
customary commissions for transacting the business in that city. 
The before-named gentlemen, with whom I was concerned, in- 



568 FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

trusted me with the management of their affairs in Rio ; that is 
to say, I was to direct what quality of coffee should be pur- 
chased, and with the assistance and advice of Messrs. Maxwell, 
Wright & Co., buy at a proper time, etc., etc. The funds for 
the purchase of the cargo were provided by each party, and the 
accounts to be kept distinct and separate. For the amount of 
my 1000 bags, I was authorized to draw on Messrs. Reid, Ir- 
ving & Co., of London. After all the preliminaries were ar- 
ranged, I dispatched two small sloops to Albany, to purchase 
boards, plank and scantling, for my account. I also laid in 
sundry other bulky articles, and was fortunate in obtaining the 
residue of a cargo on freight, namely, flour, cotton drillings, etc. 
The amount of my freight and primage, exclusive of my own 
property, amounted to seven hundred dollars. I had one cabin 
passenger — a native of the Island of Cuba, who spoke not a 
word of English. 

I laid in ample stores and was well supplied with every 
thing necessary and convenient. I took with me as chief 
mate, Mr. Richard Hepburn, my former second mate Mr. 
Peter Hanson, a crew of five seamen and a cook, comprising 
nine in number, including myself. I am particular in detailing 
every thing relating to this voyage, it being the last I ever 
made, either as captain or supercargo. Thus equipped, I em- 
barked on board the Brilliant, with my wife and second daugh- 
ter, Mary S., then a child of about two years, on the 28th of Sep* 
tember, bound to Rio. We left New York in the morning, 
with a fine breeze from the 1ST. W., and steered down the bay ; 
at noon when near Sandy Hook, we discharged the pilot and 
stood out to sea, with a pleasant breeze at K. W., and fine, clear 
weather. We steered off S. S. E., in company with the ship 
Canada, Captain Moran, bound to Montevideo : there were 
also several ships, brigs and schooners, leaving port at the 
same time. Each of these vessels with her passengers pursued 
her respective course over the trackless ocean, some, no doubt, 
with heavy hearts at the idea of leaving wife, children and dear 
friends, while they were about to tempt the treacherous main, 
with lurking doubts and fears for a joyful return ; others, who 
had no strong or tender ties to leave behind were, perhaps, re- 



FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 569 

joiced to embark, and, if fond of their profession, experienced 
the feeling so happily expressed by Lord Byron : 

" Once more upon the waters ! yet once more ! 
And the billows bound beneath me as a steed 
That knows his rider. Welcome to their roar ! 
Swift be their guidance wheresoe'er it lead, 
Though the strain'd mast should quiver as a reed; 
And the rent canvas flutter through the gale, 
Still must I on, for I am as a weed 
Flung from the rock, on ocean's foam to sail 
Where'er the surge may sweep, the tempest's breath prevail." 

"With me, though much of the enthusiasm of youth had 
passed away, still I retained a lingering fondness for my pro- 
fession, and at times love to recall the scenes of early life, when 
it was my joy and delight to embark on the dark and deep, 
blue ocean, and revel, like a sea-bird, in the tempest and the 
storm. At this moment my feelings and affections were 
divided ; I was leaving children, friends and my dear country 
behind, and had a beloved wife and child thrown on me for 
protection ; I therefore felt a double responsibility to exercise 
watchfulness and prudence to preserve the lives of those who 
were thus placed in my hands, to shield from every danger. 
For the first two days out we had clear, pleasant weather, with 
moderate breezes from the westward, which enabled us to 
carry studding-sails alow and aloft. "We had the decks cleared 
and every thing stowed away, lashed and secured, below and 
on deck, every preparation made for bad weather, should it over- 
take us, and be ready with calmness to encounter the wild fury of 
the elements. On the third day out we got into the Gulf Stream, 
where we had light, baffling winds, with a little rain, and at noon 
found ourselves in latitude 37° 47' north, longitude 68° 47' west. 
From this period nothing occurred worth noticing, except 
during the last two days I observed a high, rolling swell from 
the !N". 1ST. E., notwithstanding the wind was not blowing from 
that direction: my barometer was also falling; these indica- 
tions induced me to be on the qui vive. I told my officers to be 
vigilant and watchful, as I expected a severe gale from that 
quarter. 



570 FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

On the 10th of October, when in latitude 35° 44/ north, lon- 
gitude 57° west, at noon it commenced blowing a strong gale 
from the S. "W., with dark, squally weather ; as it increased we 
reefed down and took in sail until we had nothing set except 
a close-reefed main-topsail ; the wind shifted from S. W. to !N". 
!N". E., and threw up a high cross sea which broke and foamed 
like a boiling cauldron. Early in the morning, in anticipation 
of a severe gale, we had sent down the topgallant yards, and 
got every thing snug to encounter the coming storm, so that at 
present we had nothing to do but lie to and let it expend its 
fury, trusting to a kind Providence to carry us through this 
terrific tempest. At midnight it increased to a perfect hur- 
ricane ; the spray and foam were driven with so much violence by 
the force of the wind that one could scarcely look to windward ; 
the elements roared like thunder ; every now and then an oc- 
casional flash of vivid lightning served to render the gloom of 
night still more awful. The next morning at daylight the gale 
was raging at the height of its fury, lashing the ocean into a 
violent foam, which threatened to swallow our little vessel in 
every hollow of the sea ; still amidst the tempest and mountain 
billows, she rose like a stormy petrel on the water, and though 
she was, as it were, but a speck on the ocean, that unseen Hand, 
that " tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," kept our little bark 
on the top of the angry billows, and conducted us through this 
awful crisis. I cannot say I was afraid during this protracted 
tempest, which lasted for a space of forty-eight hours ; still, I 
do not deny that I felt sensibly a solemn awe, reflecting on our 
perilous situation. I watched with intense anxiety every symp- 
tom of its abatement, and when I saw the clouds break away 
near the horizon, and the wind lull a little, I said, " God is 
indeed every where, and it is He alone who has snatched us 
from the very jaws of death." Scenes like these cause us to 
feel our insignificance, and lead us to exclaim with heartfelt joy 
and gratitude, It is Thou, O God ! who hast saved us from a 
watery grave. May we ever bless and adore Thy holy name, 
and place our entire dependence upon Him who rules and 
governs the mighty deep, and hath said in His wisdom, ' Thus 



FOUKTH VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BRILLIANT. 571 

far shalt thou go, and no farther, and here shall thy proud waveR 
be stayed.' 

God hears the ravens when they cry, 

And notes the sparrow's fall ; 
And will to us be ever nigh, 

When we upon him call. 

In an hour or two after the gale began to break, it mode- 
rated, so that at two o'clock in the afternoon on the 12th we 
again made sail, and went on our course rejoicing. After this 
terrific and almost unparalleled storm, we met with no incident 
worth noting until we fell in with the N. E. trade winds on the 
29th in latitude 26° 33' north, longitude per chronometer 27° 
26' west. "We continued to steer to the southward, with fine 
weather and fair winds, and on the morning of the second of 
November made St. Antonio, one of the Cape de Verd group, 
bearing south, five or six leagues distant. We sailed down 
along the west side of this high, rocky, barren-looking island, 
and at ten o'clock in the forenoon the body of it bore east, 
eighteen miles distant. It lies in latitude 17° 25' north, longi- 
tude 25° 19' west of London. After losing sight of St. Antonio 
we continued our course to the southward, and were favored 
with fresh ~N. E. trades until the eleventh when we entirely 
lost them. After that, we met with light, baffling winds and 
much rain, as is usual near the equator ; here we found it very 
hot and the weather dark and unpleasant. This day at noon 
we were in latitude by observation 2° 6' north, longitude 26° 
17' west. 

We continued to experience light and baffling winds for two 
or three days, with much rain, until the 14th, when we had 
fanned across the equinoctial line and got as far south as 2° 55'. 
We soon fell in with the S. E. trade-winds, had fine, pleasant 
weather and crossed the line in longitude 27° 32' west. During 
the remainder of the passage, I find very little in my journal 
worth recording. We continued to have from day to day (with 
few interruptions) constant S. E. trades and pleasant weather, 
which is almost always the case along this part of the Brazil 
coast. We occasionally saw a sail or two to break the monotony, 



572 FOURTH VOYAGE m THE BRIO BRILLIANT. 

and if, by chance, we caught a bonito or an albicore, it was 
quite an incident where there is so little change from one day to 
another. At sea there are very few objects to divert the atten- 
tion save the two grandest and most sublime to human view, 
the immense world of waters on which we float, and the azure 
vault of heaven studded with innumerable worlds. He that has 
no taste for the sublime and finds no pleasure in contemplating 
with awe and wonder these beautiful objects, had better remain 
on land ; for without this resource and books, life on the ocean 
is but a dead blank. But to use the words of J. J. Bousseau, 
" He that can look through nature up to nature's God," may 
enjoy a rich feast in communing with the Author of his being, 
and gratify intellectual inquiry when sailing over the different 
regions of the globe. He may observe God's fostering hand 
over all his creatures in every part of the earth ; — in the north 
and in the south, in the east and in the west, there is the same 
wise provision made for man and all the lower animals of crea- 
tion. The same kind hand has bountifully supplied their wants, 
and all He requires in return for this goodness is our fervent 
love and gratitude ; to feel that we are His children, and that 
He is our Father, and will provide for and take care of us, if 
we put our trust in Him ; with a firm, unbending hope and 
faith, through the mediation and teachings of the lowly Jesus, 
the blessed Saviour of the world. This faith and hope will ena- 
ble us to press forward in the path of duty, and in the hour of 
peril, or deep grief, to exclaim with the holy man of old, 
" Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him." 

On Wednesday the 25th, at four o'clock in the afternoon, 
we made Cape Frio, bearing ~W. N. "W". 30 miles distant, and at 
nine the same evening, passed near it. At eight the next 
morning, we saw the Sugar Loaf Hill, at the entrance of Bio, 
and at two in the afternoon passed the fort of St. Cruz, and 
came to anchor at Kio, fifty-eight days from New York, with- 
out having met with any serious accident. 

The next day, I left the Brilliant in charge of the mate, and 
took lodgings for myself and family with the Bev. <T. Spauld- 
ing, an American Missionary, residing with his family in Bio. 
I, of course, employed the same house to transact my business, 



VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 573 

as I had done on the two former voyages, that of Messrs. Max- 
well, "Wright & Co. In the course of a few days we landed all 
our freight. I sold the greater part of my own goods for a fair 
profit, and soon had the Brilliant ready to receive on board a 
cargo of coffee. I was now waiting a favorable change in the 
market, to purchase the amount I wanted ; in the mean time I 
had leisure to look about the city of Rio, and its vicinity ; but, 
as I have on the last voyage made so many remarks on this 
place, it is unnecessary to repeat or amplify my observations on 
this subject. I will only observe that the trade and commerce 
here seem to increase with wonderful rapidity. 

After remaining in the city with our good friend the mis- 
sionary a few days, we removed with him and his family eight 
miles into the interior. This Reverend gentleman had hired a 
small house among the mountains of Tejuca, where the air was 
fresher, and the weather not so warm by at least ten degrees — 
for example, when the thermometer stood at 88 and 90° in the 
city, at his residence among the mountains the mean heat was 
about 75° to 78°, so that one might almost choose his own cli- 
mate. The road to this mountain house was pretty good for 
five or six miles of the distance, after that there was no carriage 
road, nor could it be travelled at all except on a mule or on 
foot ; the ladies were conveyed up these mountain paths in a 
hammock or palanquin, slung upon a long pole, and borne on 
the shoulders of two stout negroes. In this retired residence, 
my wife and child lodged two weeks, in the family of the wor- 
thy Missionary, and found it pleasant and comfortable. My 
business required my constant attention in town, so that I could 
only remain in the mountains with my friends, from Saturday 
evening to Monday morning, when I again returned to the 
city. 

I observed that those who resided here constantly appeared 
to like the mountain air, and to them it was a healthful resi- 
dence. I, on the contrary, found the change of climate too se- 
vere, and felt myself altogether better in the city, even with 
the thermometer standing at 90° of Fahrenheit, and soon came 
to the conclusion that this diversity of climate was not condu- 
cive to health, and that it was far better to endure a temporary 



574 FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

inconvenience than seek a sudden change for relief. After re- 
maining at Rio about twenty days, the price of coffee fell so as 
to authorize me to buy a cargo, which was soon done through 
Messrs. Maxwell, Wright & Co. In the course of a few days 
we purchased the whole amount, comprising three thousand two 
hundred bags, averaging one hundred and sixty pounds English 
weight. In about a week after this purchase, it was shipped, 
together with all necessary provisions and stores ; so that on the 
24th of December, we bade adieu to our friends, and the next 
day at nine in the morning, made sail, with a light land breeze, 
and left the harbor of Rio bound for New Orleans. At ten 
o'clock, we took the sea breeze and stood off to the southward ; 
at meridian Raza Island bore west, ten miles distant. We left 
this harbor in company with several ships bound to different 
parts of the world ; among others, three American vessels, the 
bark Leda of and from Baltimore, the brig Orleans for the same 
place, and the brig Shawmut bound for Boston. After leaving 
port, each pursued his respective course. For several days, we 
encountered strong breezes from the 1ST. 1ST. E. directly ahead, 
and of course made but little progress on our homeward passage. 
These strong and contrary winds continued for about a week, 
when they moderated and came out from E. 2sT. E., and con- 
tinued light for the space of ten days, forcing us down to lee- 
ward ; these light airs, together with a strong lee-current, set us 
so far to the westward, that on the 13th of January, we made 
the coast of Brazil on the lee-bow, bearing north, twelve miles 
distant. At noon this day, the latitude by observation was 10° 
16' south ; longitude by the land 35° 58' west. From the 13th 
to the 23d, we continued to have light winds from the !N". E., 
with a strong current setting to the westward, so that we made 
slow progress beating to the northward, and could not weather 
Cape St. Augustine, when we tacked and stood to the south- 
ward ; we could gain nothing to the eastward. Thus day after 
day we continued to beat up along shore, standing off and on, 
and tacking every four or six hours, according as the wind 
headed or favored us. 

The coast along this part of Brazil is clean, free from rocks 
and shoals, and very easy to navigate, still I would not advise 



FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BKILLIANT. 575 

any one to keep in shore when bound to the United States from 
Rio ; it is far better to stand boldly off to the southward, and 
by all means keep clear of the land until far enough to the 
eastward to weather Cape St. Augustine. By getting too far in 
shore, I lost nearly a week before I was able to double the cape. 
On the 22d, at noon, we sailed by Cape St. Augustine"; it is of 
a moderate height and free from dangers of every kind ; we 
passed within seven miles distance. It lies in latitude 8° 21' 
south, longitude 34° 57' west. The next day we passed near 
Olinda and Pernambuco, and saw the church towers, etc., and 
also the shipping lying at anchor in the harbor. 

After passing these places the wind favored us so that we 
were enabled to set studding-sails alow and aloft, and pursue 
our course at the rate of eight miles the hour. For several days 
we had brisk breezes from the eastward and a strong current 
setting in our favor, I should judge at the rate of one mile the 
hour. We soon fell into the regular 1ST. E. trade-winds, and 
proceeded rapidly on our course. 

On the 6th of February, at eleven o'clock p. m., there was a 
total eclipse of the moon. The weather being fine and the sky 
serene, it was indeed a beautiful spectacle, for after a period of 
entire obscurity she was relieved, and seemed to shine with re- 
newed splendor. 

At one hour after midnight, we made the Island of Barba- 
does, bearing W. by !N". ten miles distant. We ran down along 
its south side, and took the same route through the West India 
islands as on the two last voyages, and met with nothing worthy 
of remark, until we made the Island of Grand Cayman, on the 
18th, bearing K. W. fourteen miles distant. After passing Cape 
Antonio, we steered for the mouth of the Mississippi ; we 
generally had favorable winds until the 1st of March, when 
drawing near the mouth of that river, where we met with strong 
gales and very disagreeable weather. It however moderated 
the next day, so that at daylight we made the light-house at the 
mouth of the S. W. Pass, bearing N". W. about eight miles 
distant, but the weather was so thick and stormy, that we were 
obliged to stand off shore for several hours. After beating 
about until eleven o'clock in the forenoon, Captain Wilder, of 



576 FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

the steamboat Prairie, came off and towed the Brilliant into the 
river at the N. E. Pass without touching the bottom, and at 
three in the afternoon we came to anchor two miles above the 
Pass, sixty-eight days from Rio. 

At seven in the evening, March 3d, the Prairie took the 
ship Talleyrand, of Boston, the Brilliant, the brig Africa, and a 
little Spanish schooner, all in tow, and proceeded up the river ; 
at this time we had a fair prospect of making a good passage to 
ISTew Orleans. During the first part of the night we had fine, 
clear weather, and I felt that my troubles were at an end and 
that we were in a place of perfect safety — but, mark the result. 
About midnight it became very dark, so that one could scarcely 
see the banks of the river, and had the captain of the steamboat 
acted a prudent part, he would have brought us all to anchor, 
until the weather should become more clear; this, however, he 
did not do, but continued on his course, until about three o'clock 
in the morning, when, in a thick fog, he ran the whole fleet 
aground, at the mouth of a creek, or bayou, called Carrion 
Crow, on the south side of the Mississippi, about twenty-two 
miles above its mouth. My brig being the in-shore vessel, was, 
by the force of the current, driven fast aground, and partly into 
the creek. "When daylight appeared, the little schooner and the 
brig Africa were hauled off without much difficulty, and in the 
course of the day, with the assistance of another steamboat, the 
Talleyrand was also taken afloat ; consequently, there remained 
the steamboat Prairie and the Brilliant, still hard and fast 
aground. The water was running out of the Mississippi into 
the bayou, at the rate of six or seven miles the hour, with a fall 
of two and a half or three feet, roaring like a cataract. The 
Prairie lay athwart our bows, and was partly forced into the 
bayou. 

The next day, the 5th, it blew a severe gale of wind from 
the 1ST. E. ; at ten o'clock in the morning, the Prairie and the 
Brilliant were grinding severely against each other, and as the 
water became more agitated and rough, I feared they might 
sink. To prevent the loss of my cargo, I ordered the bowsprit 
of the brig and every thing else about the bows to be cut away, 
that they should not entangle each other. When this was done, 



FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 577 

the Prairie broke loose, and was forced by the gale and current 
into the bayou, and there secured to the bank. The wind and 
current continued to force the brig more and more upon the bar, 
at the mouth of the creek, notwithstanding we had got out an 
anchor to prevent her from being forced over it into the outlet. 
The Prairie lay two days within the bayou, when, with the as- 
sistance of another steamboat, with cables, anchors, blocks and 
falls, she was finally taken out of the creek into the Mississippi. 
On the 7th, the owner of the Prairie sent down from New Or- 
leans a very large anchor, with ninety fathoms of heavy chain ; 
this was taken out on our starboard quarter, and hove taut, to 
prevent the brig from being forced into the bayou. The next 
morning, I hired one of the most powerful steamboats on the 
river, to force off the Brilliant, with an agreement with the cap- 
tain, that if he succeeded, I would give him two hundred dol- 
lars, and if he did not, after a fair trial, I would give him one 
hundred and thirty for his trouble. He tried, but to no pur- 
pose ; and after parting a new ten-inch cable, gave it up, re- 
marking, that if the brig were lying on the bank, entirely out 
of the water, he could drag her off; but that she was so bedded 
in the sand, and lay broadside against the current, that she 
could not be got off without taking out a part of the cargo. I 
then sent my mate, Mr. Hepburn, to New Orleans, for a lighter. 
On the 10th, he returned with a schooner, when we took out 
one thousand and fifty bags of coffee, and dispatched her to New 
Orleans ; and notwithstanding we had lightened the Brilliant, 
we could not get her off ; on the contrary, the more we light- 
ened, the further she was forced over the bar, into the outlet. 
After this we made another attempt with two steamboats, in a 
line, with a large cable led through the hawse hole and fastened 
to the mainmast, and then, after a fair trial, with almost force 
enough to tear the mast out of her, they gave it up as a hope- 
less case. I then ordered a second lighter down, and took out 
another thousand bags ; thus far we had been almost constantly 
employed, day and night. Besides our own crew I hired some 
six or eight laboring men to assist us, at the rate of two dollars 
per day. On the 26th, after getting out the greater part of the 
cargo, the owner of the Prairie, Mr. R., came down from New 
37 



578 FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BEIG BEILLIANT. 

Orleans with the steamboats Prairie and Porpoise, and made 
the following agreement with me : that he wonld make another 
trial with the two boats to haul off the Brilliant, and if they suc- 
ceeded, I should pay him five hundred dollars, and if they did 
not, they should have nothing for their trouble. They then 
placed both boats, in a line, with cables fastened to our masts 
and gave such tremendous jerks, that I almost feared they 
would be dragged out of our unfortunate brig ; still they could 
not get her off, and, according to agreement, received nothing 
for their pains. 

The next day, notwithstanding we had out two large anchors 
with heavy cables, the Brilliant, at four o'clock in the afternoon, 
went into the bayou, and was secured alongside the west bank 
of the creek, in seven fathoms of water. During our stay thus 
far at this disagreeable place, we had been terribly annoyed 
with sand flies and mosquitoes, and had suffered every incon- 
venience that shipwrecked seamen are destined to experience, 
such as being in the midst of a mixed population, made up 
from almost all the nations of Europe, and rather a bad speci- 
men from the United States. I state with pleasure, however, 
that there were some honorable exceptions, and that Mr. 
Donelson, the principal proprietor of the land in this vicinity, 
was a kind, humane man. My family and crew were always 
well treated by him, and during our stay at Carrion Crow he 
was always obliging and rendered us many favors. 

On the 31st we commenced discharging the coffee, and found 
it necessary to transport it by land from the bayou to the bank 
of the Mississippi, and there put it into boats. In this way we 
shipped it on board of a schooner lighter, called the Gladiator. 
We had ten men employed besides our own crew, so that in the 
course of two days, we finished discharging the Brilliant, and 
had on board the Gladiator the balance of the cargo, comprising 
500 bags of coffee. 

The next morning, I embarked with my family and all the 
crew of the Brilliant (except the chief mate, Mr. H.) on board 
the Gladiator, for New Orleans ; we were soon taken in tow of 
the steamboat Phoenix, and proceeded up to the city, at which 
place we arrived at one o'clock in the afternoon. 



FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BKIG BEILLIANT. 579 

Mr. H. hired a man to cook on board, and remained quietly 
there until I returned. 

After paying off the crew of the Brilliant, I agreed with the 
owner of the Prairie to proceed with that boat down to the 
bayou, make one more trial to get the brig into the Mississippi, 
and settle all our difficulties amicably. On the 16th of April 
we went down the river with the Prairie, and the next day, with 
a long cable fastened to the bows of the brig, at the mouth of 
the creek (the steamboat being in the Mississippi), took her 
again in tow, and almost succeeded in getting her out ; but just 
at the very moment when she was nearly over the bar, she gave 
a rank sheer, parted the cable, and was again driven by the 
current back into the bayou ; and although there was no insur- 
ance upon her, I concluded to let her remain there. I then 
employed eight or ten men, stripped off all the rigging, sails, 
anchors, cables, boats — in fine, all I could get from the wreck. 
I hired an Eastern schooner, called the Choctaw, to carry all 
her materials to New Orleans, to be disposed of for the most 
they would bring ; and here ends the life of the good brig Bril- 
liant. We left Carrion Crow in the schooner Choctaw, on the 
21st of April, and the next day got up to New Orleans. On 
the 28th, the hull, rigging, sails and every thing appertaining 
to the Brilliant, was sold at auction on the Levee. 



General Remarks on Carrion Croio, and the Region about the 
Mouths of the Mississippi. 

I remained at the bayou from the 4th of March until the 
21st of April, and during that period saw a good deal of this sin- 
gular place. As everybody knows, the land for some twenty or 
thirty miles above the mouths of this great river is alluvial, and 
made up of logs and mud, that come down and are lodged on 
each side of this mighty stream. After ascending the river 
about twenty miles from its mouth, by going up the rigging a 
little way above the deck, one can see the ocean on both sides, 
only a short distance from its bank ; and when landing on the 



580 FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 

banks of the river, one can walk for miles on mud and logs, 
among the reeds and rushes that grow up in the crevices be- 
tween them. It frequently happens, when the Mississippi is 
very high, that it breaks loose from its pent-up channel, and 
thus forms creeks or bayous, which soon become large and 
rapid streams ; and such an one is the Carrion Crow Bayou, which 
had no existence until a few years ago. There is little or no 
security for the permanent continuance of any location in this 
region ; a creek may close up in one place, and break out in 
another, and where the land appears firm and solid to-day, it 
may sink to-morrow. During our stay at this bayou, whole 
acres of land would disappear in a day. Alongside the bank 
where my brig lay, there were seven or eight fathoms of water 
— the land was constantly giving way ; and when we discharged 
our coffee, we were obliged to procure very long planks to slide 
it down upon, and thus place it at least fifteen or twenty feet 
from the bank ; and even at this distance, it was unsafe to leave 
any considerable quantity, as it might all be submerged in an 
instant. 

We had several strong gales of wind while lying here, and 
it was absolutely astonishing to see the changes made along the 
banks of the creek, even in a single day. 

There is here a sparse population spread over a large space. 
They mostly live in small houses or huts planted along the main 
river, and occasionally on the bayous. They are generally a 
mixture of all nations, with a pretty large sprinkling of Creole 
French. Besides these, there are many sailors of different 
nations, who are too lazy to pursue any regular business, and 
prefer leading here a sort of vagabond life — going about in 
boats from place to place, catching fish and oysters, and some- 
times obtaining an accidental job from some shipwrecked cap- 
tain like myself. Many of them have wives or women with 
whom they live, who are probably more dissolute than them- 
selves. Some of them, a little more cunning than their fellows, 
contrive to keep little shops and retail liquor at an enormous 
profit. In the fall and winter, there are some shrewd men who 
own large boats, and follow the business of catching and open- 
ing oysters on the shoals and banks along the sea-coast, or on 



FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 581 

some of the neighboring islands. These men hire the stragglers 
by the month to catch and open oysters, which are found here 
in great abundance. For many miles, the shoals and banks are 
covered with them. They appear to be inexhaustible, and if 
necessary, I think the whole United States might be supplied 
from this region. They are put into large kegs or half-barrels, 
taken to New Orleans, from thence sent into the interior States 
and produce large sums of money. Although the most of these 
men are a drunken, improvident set of beings, still I am told, 
there are some of them who pick up considerable property. 

I saw a female, wife to one of the leaders of these oyster col- 
onies, who appeared shrewd and very intelligent. She often 
encamped for weeks and months with these men who were hired 
by her husband, and I was told she could open more oysters 
in a day than any man belonging to the gang. She was a mid- 
dle-aged woman, rather good looking, and, I think, a native of 
Sweden. I visited several of the huts of these people, and some- 
times found them comfortable habitations, but generally, badly 
built and very dirty. They are terribly annoyed with sand- 
flies and mosquitoes. Therefore, taking every thing into con- 
sideration, I should pronounce theirs a wretched mode of living, 
and only suitable for idle vagabonds, who are unfit subjects for 
a more civilized state of society. During my stay there, I em- 
ployed many of them to labor on board the Brilliant, and often 
purchased from them oysters, chickens, eggs, etc. I managed 
to get along with this heterogeneous population without difficul- 
ty, and found them generally ready to labor or assist me when- 
ever I made the given signal of setting my colors and firing a 
gun. It was curious to see how soon this straggling population 
could be called together upon any exciting occasion. In a 
neighborhood where there could scarcely be seen more than two 
or three huts, I could, in less than thirty minutes, assemble twen- 
ty or thirty men, women and children. From the fact of my 
lying here so long, I became well known to the inhabitants for 
many miles in extent ; so that the Bayou Carrion Crow and the 
brig Brilliant became somewhat conspicuous objects, and many 
idlers paid us a visit, and frequently strolled about the precincts 
of the outlet. My friend Donelson knew the character of most 



582 F0UKTH VOYAGE IN THE BEIG BEILLIANT. 

of these people and often gave me a hint to avoid those of dubi- 
ous standing. Whenever these abandoned scoundrels came on 
board, I took the precaution to get our muskets, pikes and swords 
on deck, to clean, and often took care to discharge a few mus- 
kets to convince these marauders that we were ready for 
them and were not to be caught napping. In fine, if it were not 
for the frequent visits of the United States revenue cutters at 
the mouths of the Mississippi, it would be unsafe to live in a 
shipwrecked vessel with a valuable cargo. ' 

After the sale of the Brilliant and her materials, on the 28th 
of April, I employed an insurance broker, to make up a general 
average on the Brilliant, her cargo and freight, according to 
the custom and usage of the State of Louisiana. Messrs. "Wil- 
liam G. Hewes & Co. had now sold the cargo at very good prices, 
so that the voyage was soon closed. I took a statement of the 
average with me, to present to the underwriters in New- York, 
and left a second copy in the hands of my friends. I settled 
every thing appertaining to the brig, with my consignees, to our 
mutual satisfaction. 

And now, concluding this account of my last and final voy- 
age in the Brilliant, I add with pleasure, that I have ever found 
William G. Hewes, Esq., strictly honest and just, and a most 
worthy, intelligent gentleman. In a few days, I arranged all 
my business in New Orleans, and on the 27th of May, proceeded 
with my wife and daughter up the Mississippi on my way to 
New- York, and after a pleasant voyage of fifteen days, arrived 
safe at that city on the 11th of June, 1841. On my return, I 
called on the two insurance companies who had insured the 
freight and cargo of my brig, and presented them all the docu- 
ments relating to the unfortunate loss of this vessel. We had 
an amicable settlement, when they paid me. the balance due, 
agreeably to the general average made and adjusted in New Or- 
leans. I believe the underwriters were satisfied with my con- 
duct, during the whole of our disastrous voyage and final ship- 
wreck in the Mississippi. I think they were convinced that I 
saved them every expense in my power in getting the coffee up 
to New Orleans, and guarding it from theft and plunder during 
our long and tedious detention at the Bayou Carrion Crow. 



FOURTH VOYAGE IN THE BRIG BRILLIANT. 583 

I have now closed the last voyage in the Brilliant, and although 
I met with many trials and difficulties in this brig, still, in the 
end, she proved a fortunate vessel for me. It will be remem- 
bered that I purchased her in 1837, with the hope of retrieving, 
if possible, what I had lost by the Great Fire and other casual- 
ties in December, 1835. "With this object in view, I pressed 
forward with persevering industry and self-denial, and, notwith- 
standing my brig was finally lost, without having one cent in- 
sured upon her, still I am happy to add, that at the end of four 
years, I cleared the round sum of twenty thousand dollars, and 
thus repaired all my losses by the extensive conflagration. I 
now began to feel that I was growing old, and that it was about 
time for me to withdraw from active life, leaving the field of en- 
terprise and commercial pursuits to the rising generation. I pur- 
pose hereafter to attend to the education of my children, and to 
spend the residue of life in quiet repose. 



THE END. 



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